
Adam Goodes is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). Goodes is a proud Adnyamathanha and Narungga man, and an Indigenous Australian leader. He is known for his community work and advocacy against racism, particularly for Indigenous Australians. In 2014, he was named Australian of the Year for his advocacy work fighting racism and empowering Indigenous youth through education. Goodes has made a significant impact on how racism is addressed in Australia, bringing about critical conversations and change.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Outstanding AFL achievements | 372 matches, 2 Brownlow Medals, 2 premierships, 4 All-Australian selections |
| Advocate for Indigenous Australians | Fights against racism, empowers young Indigenous people through education |
| Social Justice Advocate | Speaks out against racism, pushes for quality education for young Indigenous kids in remote communities |
| Advocate for eliminating racism against all minority groups | Advocating for breaking down silos between races, breaking down stereotypes of minority populations |
| Ambassador and Board Member for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) | Empowering community members to help educate their nieces, nephews, and children |
| Co-founder of the Goodes O'Loughlin (GO) Foundation | Improves the lives of Indigenous children through education and awards scholarships to young Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students |
| Advocate for Indigenous rights | Actively supported Indigenous community groups and spoke out about Indigenous rights |
| Advocate for vulnerable First Nations children | Carried out groundwork, visited disadvantaged communities, and supported ALNF's initiatives and programs |
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What You'll Learn

Adam Goodes' advocacy against racism
Adam Goodes is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is a proud Adnyamathanha and Narungga man, renowned not just for his outstanding AFL achievements but also for his advocacy work against racism.
Goodes has been vocal about his experiences of racism within his football career. He has received racial abuse from spectators, a team executive, and even on social media. In 2013, his outspokenness on racial issues contributed to him becoming the target of a sustained booing campaign from opposition fans, which eventually led to his early retirement from the game at the end of the 2015 season.
Despite the abuse he suffered, Goodes stood up against racism and advocated for the rights and empowerment of Indigenous Australians. He used his public profile and influence to speak out against racism and push for quality education for young Indigenous children in remote communities. He has supported Indigenous community groups and spoken out about Indigenous rights, becoming a leader and role model for many. Goodes has made a significant impact on how racism is addressed in Australia, particularly within sports, bringing about critical conversations and change.
In addition to his advocacy work, Goodes has been involved with organisations that support Indigenous Australians. He is an Ambassador for the "Racism. It Stops with Me" Campaign and the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF). He has also founded the Indigenous Defence and Infrastructure Consortium, which helps Indigenous businesses work in the defence sector.
Goodes was named Australian of the Year in 2014 for his advocacy work fighting against racism and empowering young Indigenous people through education. In 2019, a documentary titled "The Australian Dream" was released, exploring Goodes' experiences of racism and his identity and belonging as a First Nations Australian. The AFL and its clubs have also issued an unreserved apology to Goodes for the racism he experienced during his career and their failure to intervene.
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His work with Indigenous youth
Adam Goodes is a prominent former Australian rules footballer. Beyond sports, Goodes is recognised for his advocacy against racism and his dedication to Indigenous youth through the Goodes O'Loughlin Foundation, which he co-founded in 2009 with his cousin and former teammate, Michael O'Loughlin. The foundation aims to improve the lives of Indigenous children through education and awards scholarships to young Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students in Sydney, Adelaide, and Canberra.
Goodes has used his public profile and influence to stand up and speak out against racism and push for quality education for young Indigenous kids in remote communities. He has also been involved in volunteering work with disadvantaged youth, especially Aboriginal youths and those who were incarcerated.
In 2014, he was named Australian of the Year for his advocacy work fighting against racism and empowering young Indigenous people through education. Goodes provided an eloquent account of his life and beliefs in the essay "The Indigenous Game: A Matter of Choice", which was included in the book "The Australian Game of Football" (2008).
Goodes has made a significant impact on how racism is talked about and addressed in Australia, particularly within sports, bringing about critical conversations and change. He has urged people to stand with him and stand for respect, sending a strong positive message to all Australians: "I'm not here to tell you what to think or how to act to raise your children. All I'm here to do is tell you about my experiences and hope you choose to be aware of your actions and interactions so that together we can eliminate racism."
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His impact on conversations about race and identity in Australia
Adam Goodes is a prominent former Australian rules footballer and an Adnyamathanha and Narungga man. Beyond his sporting achievements, Goodes is recognised for his advocacy against racism and his dedication to Indigenous youth through the Goodes O'Loughlin Foundation, which he co-founded in 2009. The foundation aims to improve the lives of Indigenous children through education, awarding scholarships to young Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students and promoting employment opportunities and healthy lifestyles. Goodes also volunteers on behalf of disadvantaged youth, especially Aboriginal youths and those who were incarcerated.
Goodes has made a significant impact on how racism is talked about and addressed in Australia, particularly within sports, bringing about critical conversations and change. He has experienced racism within his football career and has been the target of a sustained booing campaign from opposition fans, causing him to take indefinite leave and eventually retire from the game at the end of the 2015 season. In 2020, a powerful documentary titled "The Australian Dream" was released, exploring Goodes' experience of racism and his identity and belonging as a First Nations Australian.
Goodes was named Australian of the Year in 2014 for his advocacy work fighting against racism and empowering young Indigenous people through education. In his acceptance speech, he urged people to stand with him for respect. He has also used his public profile and influence to stand up and speak out against racism and push for quality education for young Indigenous kids in remote communities. He holds each of us accountable for taking action, sending a strong positive message to all Australians:
> "I'm not here to tell you what to think, or how to act to raise your children. All I'm here to do is tell you about my experiences and hope you choose to be aware of your actions and interactions so that together we can eliminate racism."
Goodes transcends boundaries, advocating for the elimination of racism against all minority groups. He empowers not only Aboriginal Australians but also all minority groups and ultimately all Australians. He has helped to break down the silos between races and break down stereotypes of minority populations. Goodes has also been a patron of the Indigenous Football Week, an event founded by the John Moriarty Foundation, an organisation supporting young Indigenous soccer players.
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His role as a leader for Indigenous Australians
Adam Goodes is a prominent former Australian rules footballer. He is a proud Adnyamathanha and Narungga man, recognised not just for his outstanding AFL achievements but also for his advocacy work for Indigenous Australians. Goodes has been a vocal supporter of Indigenous community groups and has spoken out about Indigenous rights, particularly issues concerning racism.
Goodes has used his public profile and influence to stand up and speak out against racism and push for quality education for young Indigenous kids in remote communities. He has been involved with the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF), which aims to overcome the many health, developmental and social hurdles faced by vulnerable First Nations children. Goodes has also been a patron of the Indigenous Football Week, an event founded by the John Moriarty Foundation, an organisation supporting young Indigenous soccer players.
Goodes co-founded the Goodes O'Loughlin (GO) Foundation in 2009 with his cousin and former teammate, Michael O'Loughlin. The foundation aims to improve the lives of Indigenous children through education and awards scholarships to young Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students in Sydney, Adelaide, and Canberra. The foundation also promotes employment opportunities and healthy lifestyles.
Goodes has made a significant impact on how racism is talked about and addressed in Australia, particularly within sports, bringing about critical conversations and change. He has experienced racism within his football career and has been the target of a sustained booing campaign from opposition fans, which contributed to his decision to take indefinite leave from the AFL and eventually retire from the game. In 2015, he travelled to the Flinders Ranges in the South Australian outback, where he reconnected spiritually and emotionally with his ancestors. This helped him to ground himself and make the decision to exit the game.
Goodes has empowered not only Aboriginal Australians but also all minority groups and ultimately all Australians. He has advocated for eliminating racism against all minority groups, stating that "we are all connected whether we like it or not. We are all equal and the same in so many ways." Goodes has urged people to stand with him and stand for respect, sending a strong positive message to all Australians to be aware of their actions and interactions to eliminate racism.
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His contribution to Australian football
Adam Goodes is a former professional Australian rules footballer. He played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL) and is considered a footy legend. Goodes was drafted by the Sydney Swans as their third-round pick in the 1997 AFL Draft. In 1999, he made his senior AFL debut and won the AFL Rising Star award.
Goodes is one of the game's leading scorers and has achieved numerous milestones throughout his career. He played his 300th AFL game when the Sydney Swans tackled Hawthorn in a second semi-final, losing by 36 points. He became the quickest player in AFL history to reach this milestone. In 2003, he was named to the first of four All-Australian teams. He has won two Brownlow Medals, the highest individual honour in Australian rules football, and two premierships. Goodes broke the Sydney games record when he played his 304th AFL game in 2012. He also holds the record for the most VFL/AFL games played by an Indigenous player.
Goodes has also been recognised for his advocacy work and dedication to Indigenous youth. In 2009, he co-founded the Goodes O'Loughlin (GO) Foundation with his cousin and former teammate, Michael O'Loughlin. The foundation aims to improve the lives of Indigenous children through education and promote employment opportunities and healthy lifestyles. Goodes has also volunteered on behalf of disadvantaged youth, particularly Aboriginal youths and those who were incarcerated.
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Frequently asked questions
Adam Goodes is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is a proud Adnyamathanha and Narungga man, with an Aboriginal mother from the Stolen Generations and a white father. Goodes was born on 8 January 1980 in Wallaroo, South Australia, Australia.
Goodes is a dual Brownlow Medallist, dual premiership player, four-time All-Australian, member of the Indigenous Team of the Century, and representative of Australia in the International Rules Series. He played 372 matches, won two premierships with the Sydney Swans, and played more games in the Australian Football League than any other Indigenous footballer at the time.
Goodes is a prominent social justice advocate for Indigenous Australians and anti-racism activism. He has used his public profile to address social justice issues, particularly those concerning Indigenous rights and racism. He co-founded the Goodes O'Loughlin (GO) Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of Indigenous children through education and promote employment opportunities and healthy lifestyles. Goodes has also volunteered on behalf of disadvantaged youth, especially Aboriginal youths and those who were incarcerated.
Goodes was named Australian of the Year in 2014 for his efforts to end racism and his work with Indigenous-youth community programs. He has empowered not only Aboriginal Australians but also all minority groups and Australians as a whole, advocating for the elimination of racism. Goodes has made a significant impact on how racism is talked about and addressed in Australia, particularly within sports, bringing about critical conversations and change.
Goodes has experienced both support and criticism for his activism. While he has received recognition and awards for his contributions to positive social change, he has also faced racial abuse and criticism for his outspokenness on racial issues. In 2023, the AFL and its clubs issued an unreserved apology for the sustained racism and events that drove Goodes out of the game, acknowledging their failure to stand up for him and all Indigenous players.











































