CLAIMS of racially based death threats to Sydney's Adam Goodes and Adelaide's Andrew McLeod are being investigated by Victorian police.
Police believe letters from an address in Melbourne were sent to the players' respective clubs on the eve of the Victoria v Dream Team Hall of Fame match in May, in which dual Brownlow medallist Goodes and dual Norm Smith medallist McLeod played.
More threatening letters were sent to three other players from Victorian clubs, believed to be Carlton, North Melbourne and Essendon. It is not known if these letters also targeted Indigenous AFL players.
The revelations were aired on Channel Nine's The Footy Show last night.
Police took the threats seriously and ramped up security for Goodes and McLeod in the Hall of Fame game, although nothing eventuated. The letters have since ceased also. Police believe they are from the same person.
Victoria Police spokesman Senior Constable Adam West told Melbourne newspapers last night that the threats were being taken seriously.
"We have got the Moonee Valley Criminal Investigations Unit detectives investigating a number of threatening letters allegedly sent to AFL players," Sen-Constable West said.
"Victoria Police takes any threats made to any person extremely seriously and is investigating these matters."
DARREN MONCRIEFF
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Friday, August 8, 2008
Last Modified on 09/08/2008 00:11