Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
Hello. I am writing as a huge Bachar Houli fan, concerned for his wellbeing.
I love how he plays and what he has brought to RFC and football generally. He is an outstanding person and one we should be very proud to have associated with our club.
I am very upset he has been found to have deliberately struck a fellow player to the head; regardless of the penalty I am sure Bachar is struggling with this characterisation of himself as an intentional thug. I honestly believe he would rather do 4 weeks for “accidental” than 2 weeks for “deliberate”.
I am smart enough to avoid the festering fans’ social media but I have already seen disgusting bigoted language used about him. I do worry in the current climate in this country there is a danger of this getting blown out of proportion and Bachar suffering as a result.
Please if you can, pass on to him that I feel nothing can take away from the amazing work he has done with his foundation and I really urge him to continue, and not take this tribunal finding to heart.
regards
Chris Rees
Richmond member
sane response…let’s hope sanity prevails…
(from a Carlton supporter)
Well said mate..
Hear, hear. The Tiger faithful are 100 per cent behind you, Bachar. You make us proud to be Richmond.
Well said Chris. I think proportion has already been well and truly blown on this one.
Well done Chris and all those leaving comments. Bachar is an ambassador of our club and for the game in general.
Deliberate, not a chance, running forward, looking forward, arm swinging backwards. reckless yes.
As for those couch potato hero’s taking cheap shots grow up and look at what really happened.
Chris, you read the play just fine. Your letter reads well. Good work!
Thanks Trevor, Tom, Tommo, Grant, Vince and Captain Zero. Of course as a Tiger I want him to get a good result at the tribunal but this is much bigger than that.
The world needs more people like Bachar. His work in his immediate community and the wider community show a level of care for humanity that most of us can only aspire to. A great example for any kid to look up to. Glad he is a part of the AFL and more so a leader of the Richmond family.
As you said in one of your tweets, he is doing all his ‘community work’ while being a professional footballer. He’s not waiting to have ‘nothing to do’ before setting up some sort of foundation. His work is not tokenistic; it is not symbolic. He’s doing something he believes in and (many) others are buying into it. Richmond are lucky to have him. But, the club should also be recognised for supporting him in his work.
Yes good point, club are handling such things very well these days.
So he’s just been given 4 weeks on the AFL’s appeal. I think that is actually good for his long-term wellbeing. Its shouldn’t be the case, but he has become a sitting duck for anti-muslim bigotry in the last few days and it would only have got worse. The AFL has come out of the byzantine process looking like dills but have probably got the right result. Cue resignations from the tribunal, you’d think.
Sackings from the tribunal I would be saying… the reasons the afl gave for the appeal indicate those who were involved shouldnt be there.
We wont see that happen!
(Not to mention that saying it was delibrate is wrong)
I have not even tried to get my head around the rules, procedures and precedents that should be governing this. There seems to be a mass of contradictions at work and anyone with a barrow to push can find an example that supports their case. I am only interested in Bachar’s wellbeing. On Monday I really feared things were setting up for an untimely early retirement like Adam Goodes. Both leaders with a lot of expectation and people depending on them outside of footy. Once dickheads got hold of Goodes you could understand him getting to a point where footy’s not worth the trouble any more.
Careless. Reckless Yes ‼️
Deliberate No.
Look at the footage. He did not line him up !! Bachar is already remorseful and in pain. His background has nothing to do with this. I thank him for ALL the beautiful things he has tirelessly brought to our Tiger Club. 🐯
Chris lovely letter. ❤️