Sydney Swans honour Bondi victims
Ahmed Al Ahmed was honoured as a community hero for his actions during the crisis.
Swans Foundation chair Peter Ivany said the Sydney Swans “did something positive for humanity” by honouring the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack and their families ahead of their AFL Opening Round match against Carlton at the SCG last week.
In an initiative led by the Swans, a moment silence was held, while representatives from several organisations were acknowledged on the field, including NSW Ambulance, frontline hospital staff, Waverley Council lifeguards, Surf Life Saving NSW, NSW Police, the NSW State Emergency Service, Community Health Support responders and the Jewish emergency response organisation Hatzolah.
Ahmed Al Ahmed was honoured as a community hero for his actions during the crisis.
“When this idea was fermented through January, we just got incredible buy in at all levels of the club,” Ivany told The AJN.
“The hope is that this is part of the mending process, but also part of the learning process for a lot of people into how this happened.
“It was an opportunity that we had, and we’re just so pleased to be able to do it. The warmth that it has resonated throughout the club is fantastic.”
Some children who lost relatives, including their father, were invited into the Swans dressing room after the match.
“I was next to them and they were just so happy. They’ve lost their father and they’re under unbelievable difficulties, and the happiness that that gave them, and also the feeling of support that they had – and that goes for life savers and first responders and all the people that we had there – they just felt so appreciated, so understood,” he said.
“We did something, I don’t want to stretch this, but we really did something positive for humanity on that night.”
Ivany said the Swans have been incredibly supportive, not just since December 14, but since October 7.
“From my own point of view, as someone who’s Jewish, I’ve been completely embraced. And even after October 7, completely supported, asked how I am and in footy terms, people put their arms around me,” he said.
“The Swans are just an incredible and wonderful organisation. And it’s been all pervasive at all levels of the club.”