The Australian Football League (AFL) has decided not to paint the Aboriginal flag on grounds during this year's Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which begins on Friday, due to a copyright dispute. The flag will also be absent from goal umpires' flags, breaking with recent tradition.
The decision comes amid a growing campaign to 'free the flag' from copyright restrictions. Wam Clothing, a non-Indigenous owned company, holds the exclusive licence to use the Aboriginal flag, granted by its designer Harold Thomas in 2018. The company has issued cease-and-desist notices to several entities, including the AFL, demanding payment for use of the flag.
Eddie Betts, a prominent Indigenous AFL player, has backed the league's stance. 'I support the AFL for not paying to use the Aboriginal flag because it should be free for everyone,' he told Fox Footy. Betts also revealed he was unaware he needed permission to include the flag in a children's book about Aboriginal culture.
Collingwood and five other clubs—Sydney, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda, Melbourne, and Geelong—have expressed interest in players wearing #freetheflag T-shirts during training and pre-match warmups. Former Essendon player Michael Long called the situation a 'disgrace' and urged fans to bring Aboriginal flags to games in protest.
The AFL stated it is 'respecting what we believe to be the sentiment of the Aboriginal community' by not entering a commercial arrangement with the licence holders. Instead of the flag, the word 'Deadly' and the name of the local Indigenous nation will appear on the centre circle.
Laura Thompson of Clothing the Gap, leading the Free the Flag campaign, expressed hope that the AFL's stance would prompt government action. 'We really hope this is a tipping point for the government to take action and do what's right for Aboriginal people,' she said.
