Tassie footy fans being kept in the dark by state sporting bodies

Both codes have handed down significant suspensions for racial vilification in recent months while their statewide supporters remain in the dark over the identity of offenders.

The incidents occurred just a few hundred metres apart at Riverside's Windsor Park complex and have only been publicised because journalists from The Examiner happened to be reporting on the matches and witnessed them.

In round two of the Tasmanian State League, Launceston Football Club reported to AFL Tasmania that one of their players was racially vilified by a Kingborough player.

The matter was investigated and referred to a tribunal where a Tigers player was handed a five-match suspension and directed to complete the AFL's online vilification and discrimination education module.

The Examiner sought further information from AFL Tasmania who confirmed the suspension but chose not to name the player. Only once contacted did the state body issue a statement in which it said: "AFL Tasmania strongly condemns all types of vilification in the football community." But clearly not strongly enough to name the guilty player.

Meanwhile, in NPL Tasmania, Riverside Olympic reported to Football Tasmania that one of their players was racially vilified earlier this season.

The matter was investigated and referred to a tribunal where a player was handed a 12-match ban with another six suspended.

The Examiner sought further information from Football Tasmania who declined to confirm the player, charge(s), plea(s) or sentence, saying it does not comment on tribunal outcomes.

On both occasions our reporters noticed something untoward, asked questions, received concerning replies and subsequently sought clarification from the governing bodies in order to inform our readers.

At the TSL footy, Josh Partridge saw umpires and several Launceston players engaging in a half-time discussion and suspected something was amiss.

At the NPL soccer, the incident which led to Riverside's complaint happened just a few metres in front of me. Two players became entangled and the nature of their resulting exchange implied something more had taken place.

After the game I heard several accounts of what may have happened. I found it hard to believe what was being alleged, but the severity of an 18-match ban would suggest it may have been true. It should be noted that this matter is currently under appeal.

Despite these lengthy bans, neither sport's governing body has condemned the player responsible.

And yet both are easily identified.

A soccer player was listed as "suspended" on FT's own website dribl for a subsequent fixture despite having not accumulated enough yellow or red cards this season to incur a ban.

Meanwhile TSL team lists on playhq.com show that, having played every game up to round four, one particular Kingborough player did not feature in the five matches against Glenorchy, North Launceston, Lauderdale, North Hobart and Launceston then returned against Clarence at the weekend.

Followers of both these statewide competitions - of which there are many - deserve better from the codes' governing bodies.

Both these incidents would be of considerable interest to league followers but would not have come to the public's attention had there not been reporters at the matches.

With the decline in the number of journalists across the board in Tasmania, fewer games are being covered in person and more such incidents will go unreported.

AFL Tasmania only took the moral high ground when it realised the incident was being investigated by The Examiner while Football Tasmania was well aware that the best way of preventing such a story appearing in the media was simply to refuse to comment.

How can either state body claim to be doing everything in its power to wipe out racism when they are effectively sweeping such instances under the carpet?