AFL Called To End Gay Discrimination

Local News, By Travis de Jonk, 19th June, 2008

It was a string of unfortunate events. First he was fired from his job at the Department of Sustainability and Environment(DSE). It is claimed that it was because of sexuality. He took the complaint of unfair dismissal by the DSE to the Equal Opportunity Commission. His sexuality had been known but unspoken within the football and netball clubs that he had given dedicated service to for many years. Then when the media made his complaint public, and thus his sexuality, he was fired from his coaching job too. Unable to find work in his own town, and harassed and spat upon by residents of the place where he had lived his whole life, he lost his home when the bank foreclosed on it, as he was not able to make the payments. With no home, he now lives in his car while he waits for justice.

This is the real life story of Ken Campagnolo, a 42-year-old bisexual man, former football trainer and forest ranger from the Victorian town of Mansfield, who has mounted a discrimination claim against the AFL and chief executive Andrew Demetriou on the basis of his sexuality.

Mr Campagonolo who provided years of successful and dedicated service to the Bonie Doon football club before he was sacked from it, says that the AFL should have protected him from the unfair dismissal.

Mr. Campagnolo, whose sexuality has been known to the club since he was outed a few years ago, claims that he was only sacked by his club after the media made public a claim he lodged against his previous employer, the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), back in April 2007. The department has of course denied that Campagnolo was fired on the basis of his sexuality .

“I’ve lost my standing and self-esteem in the community and haven’t done anything other than say I’m bisexual,” Campagnolo said yesterday to The Age.

A minor victory has already been won it seems with the VFL country league who have already agreed to implement a code of conduct by October, including provisions for complaints and disciplinary procedures.

Despite having an anti-discrimination policy that indicates that it applies to affiliated bodies such as the Victorian Country Football League, the AFL has stated to the Equal Opportunity Commission that its policies apply only to players and administrators who compete in the AFL.

Gay rights campaigner Rob Mitchell of the RJM Trust, who has come on board to support Campagnolo’s fight, accuses the AFL of washing its hands of the matter. He has called on the organisation to take responsibility for the game at every level and properly implement a code of practice to prevent anti-gay discrimination.

“It needs to be clearly articulated about what’s expected in terms of not degrading people,” Mr. Mitchell said, “They stamped out racism at every level of the game. They need to do the same with discrimination against same-sex-attracted people.”

Mr Campagnolo, who is currently living on Centerlink benefits, has been unable to find work in his home town of Mansfield since the unfair dismissal back in April 2007. He’s also endured being spat at on the street and being threatened by local residents. The bank has also foreclosed on his mortgage for his family house. Campagnolo says he chooses to live out of his car rather than moving somewhere more welcoming it would be seen as ‘giving up’.

A special fund has been set up for Ken Campagnolo by the RJM Trust, where you can deposit money to help and support him. Your donation will not be used for his campaign, but goes directly to help Mr Campagnolo on a practical level.

Make your donation to:
R J M Trust Ken Campagnolo Fund
St George Bank South Melbourne
BSB 113-879
A/c No.: 429044701

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