Collingwood Football Club

Collingwood’s newest recruit, Andrew Krakour, who was recruited from the Wooroloo Prision team, is suing the U.S. Embassy after being refused entry into the U.S. to join the Magpies in their now traditional pre-season trip to Arizona.

Krakour says his refusal to the U.S. was based on racism and arrogance, rather than the fact he spent 32 months in jail for causing grievous bodily harm in an incident that occurred in Fremantle, W.A. on December 22, 2006.

"I feel saddened by the decision made by the U.S. Embassy" Krakour said yesterday. He said he had experienced racism all his life, including in the Prison football team, which he previously played for.

The U.S. Embassy yesterday released a press statement saying ‘Krakour’s previous criminal record posed a serious threat to America’s national security…and we will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come'.

Krakour believes his refusal to enter the U.S. is racially motivated, as several other Magpies have questionable criminal backgrounds, but were granted permission to land in the U.S. In 2007, Alan Didak meet with notorious underground figure Christopher Hudson days before the Melbourne CBD shooting took place. He was also a passenger in a car, driven by intoxicated teammate Heath Shaw who collided with a parked car in 2008.

The Collingwood Football Club have come a long way since former President Allan McAlister in 1993, famously declared ‘Aboriginal people are welcome at the club, provided they behave like white people’. Since then Collingwood have recruited several star indigenous recruits including the legendary Robert AhMat and mercurial forward Leon Davis who was ‘instrumental’ in the Magpies 2010 Premiership win.

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