Sydney Swans star Aliir Aliir is set to continue his AFL multicultural ambassadorship into a fifth-straight season after he was on Wednesday named among 19 ambassadors for 2020.
Aliir was born in a Kenyan refugee camp to Sudanese parents and moved to Australia at the age of eight, and since being drafted to the Swans from Western Australian club East Fremantle in 2013, he’s been an inspiration to kids from diverse backgrounds setting out on new chapters.
Over the course of 2020, the multicultural ambassadors will join forces to commit to more than 1000 hours of support across a variety of diversity programs and projects, while they’ll also look to connect people from multicultural backgrounds with the game of Australian rules football.
The AFL will also host a record number of multicultural-themed games throughout the 2020 season, with Sydney set to face Essendon at Marvel Stadium in Round 22 in a game embracing India.
All multicultural-themed matches will be broadcast live in one of seven different languages, including Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi, Dinka, Italian, Greek and Spanish.
AFL General Manager for Inclusion and Social Policy Tanya Hosch said the new crop of multicultural ambassadors would play a crucial role in making Australian rules football more inclusive.
“Australian football is a game for everyone, and the multicultural ambassador program is just one way the AFL is working towards understanding, learning from, engaging with and welcoming people of all cultures to our game,” Hosch said.
“In season 2019, 13 per cent of all AFL and AFLW players were from multicultural backgrounds, but we need to grow the size of the cultural diversity in our game, so our multicultural ambassadors will play an important role in engaging with future generations of diverse talent to ensure this number is more reflective of our community.
“Sport is a great vehicle in breaking down barriers and bringing communities together, so we’re excited to have not one, but 11 dedicated multicultural games, which promote inclusiveness and embrace diversity.”
2020 AFL multicultural ambassadors
AFL/ AFLW players:
Aliir Aliir (Sydney Swans)
Akec Chuot (Richmond)
Bachar Houli (Richmond)
Darcy Vescio (Carlton)
Dyson Heppell (Essendon)
Haneen Zreika (GWS)
Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs)
Marty Frederick (Port Adelaide)
Nic Naitanui (West Coast Eagles)
Stephen Coniglio (GWS Giants)
Touk Miller (Gold Coast Suns)
State-league players:
Bior Malual (Werribee, VFL)
Goy Lok (Sandringham, VFL)
Community football players:
Angela Roan (Melbourne University, VAFA)
Michael Tang (Wallan, Riddell District Football League)
Brad Xavier (Keilor, Essendon District Football League)
Tom Jok (St Kevin’s, VAFA)
Victorian Wheelchair Football League:
Judeland Antony (St Kilda)
Victorian Blind Football League:
Ned Brewer- Maiga (Hawthorn)
