Olympics 2021: Basketball star Liz Cambage Instagram Stories, savages Australia Olympic Committee, ‘whitewashing’ uniform photo
Basketball superstar Liz Cambage has unloaded on the Australian Olympic Committee after threatening to sit out the Tokyo Games.
Aussie basketball superstar Liz Cambage has lashed out again over the clear lack of diversity in promotional Olympics photos after threatening to sit out the Tokyo Games.
The WNBA star has been the Australian Opals’ leader in recent years but has had enough of people of colour not being fairly represented.
Cambage caused a storm online earlier on Friday when she shared two images — one of a Jockey ad as it was unveiled as the official underwear supplier for the Australian Olympic and Paralympic teams and one shot from the uniform unveiling.
She slammed the photos for the lack of diversity with Cambage writing on the Jockey ad: “If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times, HOW AM I MEANT TO REPRESENT A COUNTRY THAT DOESN’T EVEN REPRESENT ME.”
The uniform reveal included Indigenous Rugby Sevens star Maurice Longbottom with Cambage writing: “Also fake tan doesn’t equal diversity.”
She then added a post with the message: “Y’all do anything to remove POC (People of Colour) from the forefront when it’s black athletes leading the pack. Until I see y’all doin more @AusOlympicTeam Imma sit this one out.”
Cambage then shared a video of Cathy Freeman’s gold medal winning 400m run at the 2000 Olympics.
But Cambage wasn’t done after her social media platforms blew up, taking to her Instagram Stories to apologise to Longbottom and slammed the lack of diversity.
After telling her American fans that they should skip the videos as the thread was for Australians, Cambage slammed the lack of diversity and the “ignorance” of those who had hit out at her on social media.
“Australia, wake the f*** up,” she began. “I’m not playing these games no more, I’m not. You can try and twist my words however you want, it’s not going to work.
“I know who Maurice Longbottom is. He was the one wearing the Indigenous special uniform, clearly. And I wasn’t saying he was the one with fake tan on. I’m talking about the rest of the photo. One token POC in a photo is not good enough at. @AOC that’s what I’m talking about.
“It’s sad, the whitewashing is sad. Your black athletes lead you everywhere. Indigenous athletes are some of the best athletes we have. An y’all don’t use them at all. And Jockey Australia, you knew exactly what you were doing. You need me to send you a list of all the black or POC athletes that are trying to make it to the Olympics right now that you could use. I’m not even in the country and I can do it.
“So anyway, to Mr Longbottom, I’m sorry that you got caught up in this. I did not think you had fake tan on, I was never saying that, I was saying that for the rest of the photo.”
Cambage hit out at those in her DMs and comments and said “your ignorance is embarrassing and it’s sad”.
The AOC had responded earlier on Friday.
“The athletes made available to Jockey could and should have better reflected the rich diversity of athletes who represent Australia at the Olympic Games,” a spokesman said.
“The AOC does however have a very proud history of celebrating and promoting diversity in all its forms. From Indigenous reconciliation, people of colour, gender equality and all forms of diversity, the AOC is rightly proud of its record.”
The AOC also said its annual general meeting would address a change to its constitution to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island representation on its Athletes commission.
“We proudly defend our track record on diversity and there will be further photo shoots that reflect our broad diversity of athletes,” the spokesman said.
“With regard to this photo shoot however, we acknowledge while proud of the athletes involved and proud of our association with Jockey, it should have better reflected the diversity of our Team.”
But Cambage slammed the statement as hollow, saying: “Words don’t mean anything to me. Actions mean something to me.”
It’s not the first time Cambage has taken aim over issues of race in Australia with the Las Vegas Aces WNBA star sending a fiery message to Australia “allies” last year in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd and black deaths in custody.
What Liz Cambage said in her Instagram Story
“Australia, wake the f*** up,” she began. “I’m not playing these games no more, I’m not. You can try and twist my words however you want, it’s not going to work. I’m not taking any media, I’m not doing any interviews, I’m not talking to you listen to this. You’re going to pull this and put this in your story, so I don’t need to talk to you on the phone.
“I know who Maurice Longbottom is. He was the one wearing the Indigenous special uniform, clearly. And I wasn’t saying he was the one with fake tan on. I’m talking about the rest of the photo. One token POC in a photo is not good enough at. @AOC that’s what I’m talking about.
“To all the white Australians in my DMs, in my comments, talking s*** about me here and there, I don’t actually care. Your ignorance is embarrassing and it’s sad and I feel really sorry for you that you have literally zero empathy and lack of respect to even try to understand where I, a black woman, is trying to speak out on the lack of diversity in Australia.
“It’s sad, the whitewashing is sad. Your black athletes lead you everywhere. Indigenous athletes are some of the best athletes we have. An y’all don’t use them at all. And Jockey Australia, you knew exactly what you were doing. You need me to send you a list of all the black or POC athletes that are trying to make it to the Olympics right now that you could use. I’m not even in the country and I can do it.
“So anyway, to Mr Longbottom, I’m sorry that you got caught up in this. I did not think you had fake tan on, I was never saying that, I was saying that for the rest of the photo.
“One POC in a photo is not good enough for me. I shouldn’t have to hold the Australian Olympic Committee and their partners accountable from the other side of the world. And yes, I saw the apology. Words don’t mean anything to me. Actions mean something to me. So let me see it because until then, I’m not buying s***. And that’s just how it is. And I’m going to keep talking my s*** because I’m going to do it for the little girls and the little boys who are people of colour.
“Asian, black, Indigenous — wherever you are from in this whole world, it’s important to see people who look like you in the media. And white Australia, you would never understand that, because you’ve never had to deal with it.
“Anyhoo, I’m going to wrap this up. Maurice Longbottom, I’m so sorry from the bottom of my heart that things got twisted today and the media used you as a tool to defer from the real issue that Australia is ignorant, it’s so ignorant and it’s embarrassing. We have a diversity issue, we have an inclusion issue and we have a visibility issue for kids growing up that don’t look anything like them in magazine, on TV, on the news, anywhere.
“And Australia, if you have an issue with my words, you are the issue. And … you can kiss my black a***. I don’t give a f*** about what you have to say about me. And on that note (kisses the screen), goodnight Australia.
“Oh, and one more thing, for all those people who are saying I’m upset because I’m not a Jockey ambassador, I’m a bit busy with Savage X Fenty if you haven’t noticed. Anyway, goodnight y’all.”
