Mum of AFL superstar opens up on tragic family secret that still haunts her decades later and slams trolls who called her son a chimpanzee - as Majak Daw joins fight against racists
- Cindy Sambo took aim at 'jealous and ugly' trolls targeting her son Eddie Betts
- Indigenous AFL star called out racist trolls on Sunday while sharing vile message
- Ms Sambo revealed Eddie's grandfather Edward died in police custody in 1987
- Betts inundated with support for a stand, including Kangaroos star Majak Daw
The mum of indigenous AFL superstar Eddie Betts has opened up on a painful family secret as she urged racist trolls targeting her son online to 'get a life'.
The Carlton Blues forward, 33, put the spotlight on racism after he shared an abusive message he received from a vile keyboard warrior who posted a photo of a chimpanzee alongside a reference to Betts.
He has since been inundated with overwhelming support from high profile Australians, past and present teammates and AFL rivals, including North Melbourne Kangaroos star Majak Daw.
Betts' Western Australian-based mother Cindy Sambo took aim at the 'jealous and ugly' trolls targeting her son as she revealed the heartbreaking loss of his grandfather in police custody 33 years ago.
Cindy Sambo, pictured with her son, AFL star Eddie Betts in 2019 has urged racist trolls targeting him online 'to get a life'
Edward Frederick Betts died while locked up in the cells at South Australia's Port Lincoln police station in 1987. He was just 49.
'It's quite sad, actually, and it hurts ... it hurts Edward, it hurts me and it hurts all of his family,' Ms Sambo told the West Australian.
'His grandfather died in custody and every time something comes up, it affects our family very much. My first reaction is anger because it's my son and I get very angry and disappointed that this is still happening.'
She said her son was doing the right thing in calling out racism, which she called for to be stamped out and stopped.
'We’re trying to move forward and raise our children the right way and teach them not to be racist, and that’s really hard when they face racism every day,' Ms Sambo said.
Carlton star Eddie Betts (pictured with his wife Anna Scullie) has put the spotlight on racism
Betts took to Instagram on Sunday while sharing the vile message he received following the Blues' loss the day before to remain winless after two rounds.
'If at any time anyone is wondering why we work so hard to bring attention to the importance of stamping out racism, this is it,' he wrote.
'If ever there was a time where our focus on this needs to continue more than ever, it's now. We each have a responsibility to ourselves and each other.
'To continue to listen. To learn. To educate. To ignore it is to be part of the problem, to call it out is to be part of the solution.'
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North Melbourne star Majak Daw liked and shared Betts' post of an abusive message sent to him by a racist online troll. 'Enough of this BS,' Daw captioned the shared post
He was flooded with support from past and present AFL players, including Sudanese-born North Melbourne star Majak Daw, who liked and shared Betts' Instagram post.
'Enough of this BS,' Daw captioned the shared post as an Instagram story.
Indigenous Collingwood premiership player Heretier Lumumba, who says he also copped racist abuse during his career urged Betts to continue speaking out.
'Eddie, thank you for sharing. You are exactly right, NOW is the time for us to raise our voices, unity, and demand that there is an end to this,' he wrote.
'Racist ideas are a result of racist policy. If we are serious about change, we must raise our expectations of the people/leaders who have the power to eradicate racist policies, then implement anti-racist policies.'
Eddie Betts (pictured with his wife Anna and children) spoke out about racism as his mother Cindy opened up about the death of his grandfather who died while in police custody
Betts was also inundated with support from other sporting codes.
'Right beside ya my brother,' Melbourne Storm NRL star Josh Ado-Carr commented.
Television cooking personality Adam Liaw, breakfast radio host Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, model Megan Gale and Aboriginal rapper Adam Briggs also posted messages of support.
Meanwhile, the Twitter profile used to send the vile message to Betts has since been deactivated.
The Essendon club believes the sender may have been a Bombers fan and has urged asked fans to club to help track down their identity.
Eddie Betts, pictured with his wife Anna and their four children
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