SYDNEY // In February 1968, a quarter of a million people lined the streets of Melbourne for a glimpse of Lionel Rose on his return from winning a world boxing title in Japan. The size of the crowd was extraordinary - not least because Australia's newest hero was a young Aboriginal man.
Less than a year earlier, Australians had, by a large majority, voted in a referendum to amend the constitution to recognise Aboriginal people as citizens. Until then the country's approximately 100,000 indigenous people had been officially classed as part of the country's flora and fauna.
There was a new mood of optimism in race relations, with hopes that the referendum represented the first leap on the road towards equality between black and white Australians. Rose's stunning victory, at the age of just 19, over the legendary Japanese boxer Masahio "Fighting" Harada, seemed to capture that spirit.
A few months later, Rose - who died a week ago, aged 62, after a lengthy illness - became the first Aboriginal Australian of the Year. He was also made an Member of the Order of the British Empire
It was a remarkable achievement for a young man who grew up in a dirt-poor fringe community in Victoria, boxing with rags tied around his hands, in a makeshift ring made of chicken wire stretched between trees.
Many elite Aboriginal athletes have named him as their inspiration, but he also motivated people outside the world of sport. "Lionel Rose showed indigenous Australians that they could achieve anything if they worked hard," Johnny Lewis, a leading Australian boxing trainer, said last week.
Rose won his first major fight in 1963 at Melbourne's Festival Hall, where he is to be honoured with a state funeral tomorrow. But it was not until he challenged Harada for the WBA and WBC bantamweight titles that he registered on the national radar. Although the odds were heavily against him, Australians huddled around their radios to follow the electrifying fight in Tokyo. There was no live television coverage then.
His win - attributed to his lightning speed and the pinpoint accuracy of his punches - earned him a place in the history books, and in the nation's heart.
"There had never been an Aboriginal sportsman of that stature, and suddenly here was this exceptionally good-looking, athletic person who was admired by everyone, and was an absolute role model for his community," says Terry Cutcliffe, a veteran indigenous rights activist.
Although courted by celebrities, including Elvis Presley, who insisted on meeting him when he defended his title in California, Rose remained a humble and quiet man. "He was a gentleman, and he didn't have a nasty bone in his body," says Gordon Syron, an Aboriginal artist and former amateur boxer. "When he beat Fighting Harada, I was so proud of him, as were so many Aboriginal people."
Rose did not campaign openly for Aboriginal rights - "We're all Australians," he told one interviewer - but he was one of the first sportsmen to boycott apartheid-era South Africa, refusing a lucrative offer to fight there in 1970. He also reportedly badgered politicians in private to do more for Aboriginal Australians.
The sad reality is that the expectations created by the 1967 referendum, and reinforced by Rose's epic victory in Japan, have to a large degree been disappointing. Although indigenous people won recognition of their land rights, they continue to be disadvantaged in every realm of life, including living conditions, work, health and the justice system.
More than a quarter of the prison population is black, although Aboriginal people make up less than three per cent of the population. Aboriginal men live on average 11.5 years less than their white counterparts. Rose went off the rails for a while after retiring in 1976, battling alcoholism and serving a brief jail term for petty crime. But in recent years he had rehabilitated himself in the public's eyes.
His legacy is that of a fine if flawed human being who did more than most to breach the black-white divide, and the excitement generated when he became a world champion was repeated in 2000, when Cathy Freeman won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.
Australia's opposition leader, Tony Abbott, said last week that although Rose was not a political activist, "few have equalled his efforts to bring about true reconciliation".
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
All about the Sevens
Cape Town Sevens on Saturday and Sunday: Pools A – South Africa, Kenya, France, Russia; B – New Zealand, Australia, Spain, United States; C – England, Scotland, Argentina, Uganda; D – Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Wales
HSBC World Sevens Series standing after first leg in Dubai 1 South Africa; 2 New Zealand; 3 England; 4 Fiji; 5 Australia; 6 Samoa; 7 Kenya; 8 Scotland; 9 France; 10 Spain; 11 Argentina; 12 Canada; 13 Wales; 14 Uganda; 15 United States; 16 Russia
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
