It has been revealed that Carlton defender Vaomua Laloifi was racially vilified by a spectator in the crowd on the weekend during the Blues' loss to Essendon at Windy Hill, with the AFL Integrity Unit investigating the matter.
Laloifi told the club she was targeted in the third quarter, with the Blues notifying the AFL Integrity Unit. The individual has not yet been identified.
The AFL Integrity Unit is now in contact with the Blues and will work with the club to provide support and investigate the matter.
"We are shattered as a club that a person we deeply care for in Mua, who brings so much joy and love to so many people, would be subjected to such disgusting behaviour," he said.
"Such behaviour is not welcome at any level of society, let alone at the football. Coming to the football should be a safe and enjoyable place for all, it is not a place for such ignorant and bigoted language.
"Our focus and our energy continues to be on doing everything we possibly can to support Mua during this time, who has been put in a position that no person deserves to experience."
Essendon released a statement in the wake of the news, stating "the club strongly condemns this behaviour."
"Vilification, racial or otherwise, has absolutely no place in our society. We must continue to use our platform as a club to call out this behaviour and make a stand against this hateful and hurtful act," the statement read.
"The matter has been referred to the AFL's Integrity Unit. The Club will now work to identify the individual with the view to educate and, where possible, apply the appropriate punishments.
"Essendon Football Club sincerely apologises to Laloifi and the Carlton Football Club for this abhorrent behaviour."
The defender has played 44 games since debuting in 2020 and has become a fan favourite after opting to continue her football development instead of representing her birth country of Samoa in basketball.
Since the start of the 2023 AFL and AFLW seasons, the AFL integrity unit has issued 17 lifetime bans for fans who have been found guilty of racial vilification.