There’s a huge disparity between words and actions in our sport at elite level.

Jemma Mi Mi has done a lot of heavy lifting this week with interviews and talking about the pressure of being a role model for her people. And she doesn’t get on court.

#SSNVixensFirebirds

We ask a lot of Indigenous Australian sportspeople: we expect them to conform, to stay quiet about the things that have made their journey to - and experience of - elite sport different. We ignore their stories and fail to embrace cultural values that could make us all better.

We expect them to bear the burden of educating us - in a limited timeframe that we dictate - alone. We talk about how hard the pressure of being the only Indigenous SSN athlete must be, and then amplify that when it’s convenient to us.

That’s a lot to ask of someone. But does it go both ways? What do we say with our actions by asking so much and not putting Mi Mi on court? What are we saying to the potential future indigenous elite pathway athletes with those (in)actions?

And you know what, this isn’t about what happens with 30 secs to go in a game with no bearings on finals. Because the culture that fails in that moment is created long before that time.

The culture I’m observing puts the onus on the individual to fight for themselves. That’s why when Mi Mi is standing in the sub box with 30 secs to go she says “only if you want?” to Dunkley. Because in that moment, do you know if one teammate/the whole team/anyone has your back?

Because when a teammate of colour, Romelda Aiken, reflected on being racially vilified earlier this year, she questioned:

“...sometimes I wonder if that were to happen to me now, would they [my teammates] stand up for me?”

And when a former Firebird and proud Kuku Yalanji, Kaantju, Birrigubba and Kamilaroi woman sums up her time at the club with:

“I had to leave my culture at the door.”

Then is it any wonder that Jemma wasn’t sure if her teammate had her back in that moment?

If we (netball) can’t get this right in one week of the year we publicly state that we care, then how much confidence do you have about the other 51 weeks of the year?

To be very clear, Mi Mi not getting on court is not about that 30 secs. It’s NOT about Dunkley. It’s about systemic racism in our sport and the continual failure to create safe cultural spaces at the elite level in particular.

A single round that celebrates indigenous culture appears to be the closest we have to safe cultural space right now, which is why I’m going off like a frog in a sock, by the way.

“Here, look! Safe space over here!”. “Oh sorry Jemma, not for you, not today.”