Adam Goodes has been appointed to the council of Indigenous Football Australia (IFA) – formalising his link to the sport which he called his “first love”.
Goodes will use his expertise as an athlete and businessperson towards the development of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who dream of playing for the Socceroos and Matildas national sides.
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The former Sydney Swans great retired from AFL in 2015 and has publicly shunned the AFL due to ongoing racial abuse he endured during his time.
Growing up, Goodes played the round ball code and only made the switch to AFL when his family moved to a small Victorian country town where there was no junior football club to play for.
In recent years, Goodes has played in a Sydney over-35s park competition.
He said he always had a love for the sport and knew he’d find his way back to it in some capacity.
“I always had a love of football,” he said.
“Today I’m enjoying playing for Waverley Old Boys. It’s great to be part of a team environment. I knew I was always going to play soccer again because the love for the game has never left me.
“I joined the Indigenous Football Australia council to share my life experience in sport and business to help others on a similar journey.
“I am looking forward to learning from other experts who are on the council.
“But most of all it is about the young people and giving them the best opportunity to achieve their dreams.”– Adam Goodes
Also joining Goodes on the majority-Indigenous IFA council are Goodes’ Waverley Old Boys teammate Craig Foster, ABC journalist and presenter Stan Grant, current A-League Women players Gema Simon, Allira Toby and Jada Whyman, and A-Leagues CEO Danny Townsend.
Football’s governing body Football Australia is in no way directly affiliated with IFA but launched its own inaugural National Indigenous Advisory Group last year.
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