Matildas Coach Stands Firm: Supporting Mary Fowler Amidst Racism Allegations

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French football club Montpellier has issued a statement denying racism allegations made by Australian former player Mary Fowler, while the Matildas share their support alongside prominent sporting figures.

In her new book, Bloom, Fowler alleges she experienced racism from a teammate during her time with Montpellier.

She recalls there was a post-match presentation on the field for departing players, who were given flowers, but Fowler says she and a Dutch teammate, Ashleigh Weerden, were left out.

“Afterwards, when we got inside the changing room, some of our teammates questioned why we hadn’t received any flowers,” Fowler wrote.

“We shrugged our shoulders, just as clueless as they were.

“A few of the girls chuckled about it, and then another teammate approached my friend and me, offering us bananas with the comment, ‘Here, take these.’ That was the final straw,” she recounted.

Fowler said not receiving flowers was one thing, “but as two of only six black girls in the squad, receiving bananas wasn’t something I could laugh off and forget about it”.

She also shared other experiences at Montpellier, in a chapter titled Not So Great Days, admitting she considered quitting the sport during her time in France.

Montpellier responded by saying there was no evidence to support Fowler’s account and indicated it was considering legal action.

“Some of them are particularly serious, and the shortcut that results from them, portraying the club as a racist entity, is unacceptable,” the club said in a statement.

Fowler made her move to Montpellier in 2020 as a teenager of 17, where she played for almost three years before transitioning to Manchester City in 2022.

“This isn’t an isolated issue in France; it’s a global problem. It’s happening right here in Australia as well,” she emphasized.

In an interview with SBS News, former AFL Women’s player Akec Makur Chuot backed Fowler, saying she was proud of her for speaking out about her alleged experience.

“I think it’s about time that we call it out and that our lived experiences are acknowledged and our dignity is respected as well because we’re the victims,” she said.

Akec Makur Chuot, a former AFLW player, expressed her admiration for Mary Fowler’s courage in discussing her alleged encounters with racism. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett

A woman holding a football in her hand during play.

Chuot was drafted by Fremantle in the 2016 AFLW draft, making her debut in 2017. She later joined Carlton, Richmond and Hawthorn, playing 40 games across six seasons before announcing her retirement in 2023.

She said racism is an experience common for athletes.

“I know a lot of players that have just decided to walk away because of either racism or discrimination,” she said.

“They’ve just decided it’s better for their mental health and physical health.”

About Fowler’s alleged experience, Chuot said by sharing such an incident, “you’re not just advocating for change for yourself, you’re advocating for change for a lot of people”.

“In order for solutions to happen, it will take all of us, from people with really high profiles like Mary, to the people who are at the local clubs,” she said.

Matildas head coach Joe Montemurro has also come out in support of Fowler.

“The only reaction that I’ve got on that is ‘that courageous girl’,” he told reporters in Sydney on Friday.

“It’s a great example of what needs to be done. It’s amazing to talk about these issues, which faces a lot of young sportspeople at the moment.”

In a social media post, former Socceroo captain Craig Foster also shared his support for Fowler, calling her “brilliant and clearly very brave”.

“Racism is ever-present in society and, of course, sport all around the world, and athletes must be supported when exposing what they face daily,” he wrote on X.

A recent national survey by Sport Integrity Australia found nearly half of athletes and coaches who witnessed and experienced bullying, racism and body shaming choose not to report it formally.

The study surveying more than 1,200 community and professional athletes and coaches found 46 per cent of athletes would not report body shaming, 43 per cent racism, 40 per cent bullying, and 38 per cent inappropriate sexual behaviour.

The study noted the lack of formal reports was due to uncertainty about the seriousness of the issue or how to seek help.