Nicky Winmar Biography

More than a thousand people flock to Victoria Park for a traditional healing ceremony marking the 30-year anniversary of Nicky Winmar's proud stand against racism, including some of the game's greatest Indigenous players.

Nicky Winmar is inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

The iconic moment when St Kilda champion Nicky Winmar stood proudly against racist abuse at Victoria Park has been immortalised in bronze at Optus Stadium.

Winmar was overwhelmed as hundreds gathered to pay their respect on Saturday, declaring the statue was "for everyone" as it was unveiled at Optus Stadium.

"I am very happy. I had a few tears earlier when I saw my family and loved ones and my dad's brothers are here and my mum's family," Winmar said.

"This is here for everybody to come and tell their next generation about respects of persons and the people we are."

A bronze statue depicting indigenous footballer Nicky Winmar's stand against racist abuse from spectators will be unveiled at Optus Stadium before the Western Derby.

Reacting to a torrent of racist abuse from Collingwood fans, Winmar raised his St Kilda guernsey and pointed to his chest after a big win over the Magpies at their Victoria Park home in 1993.

"I hope this statue encourages more conversations and education about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture," Winmar said in a statement.

"It's a surreal thing to be a part of and it's something my family are very proud of."

A campaign is underway to honour Nicky Winmar's iconic stand against racism.

The fundraising drive to erect a statue was publicised a day out from the start of the league's annual Sir Doug Nicholls indigenous round.

Reacting to a torrent of racist abuse from Collingwood fans, Winmar raised his St Kilda guernsey and pointed to his chest after a big win over the Magpies at their Victoria Park home.

"If it happens, I'm proud to be a part of that," Winmar said.

"That time, that moment, it was right for someone like myself to make a stand for our indigenous kids coming through."

Nicky Winmar has taken the second strong stance of his life, standing proudly beside his gay son Tynan.

Famous for standing up to racism in sport, with his iconic gesture at Victoria Park in 1993 becoming part of footy folklore, Winmar is now playing a key role in the lead-up to Saturday's Pride Game.

Winmar has revealed he was not always accepting of his gay son.

But after the 50-year-old suffered a heart attack in 2012, Tynan sought to reconcile his strained relationship with his father.

Nicky Winmar said he was "proud" of his son in a revealing video introduced by renowned comedian and personality Magda Szubanski.

"Dad always said to be proud of who and what you are, no matter what. We're not here forever so you've got to be as proud for as long as you can," Winmar said.

"I am who I am and I am proud of my stance on racism in sport. I'm proud to be a father to my son who's gay and I just want to support him and his friends and anyone else out there as much as I can."

Given his family name, Tynan said he had difficulty in getting people to understand his sexual orientation.

"For a long time I didn't understand how I felt. I had a bit of resentment towards how I felt towards other people and I was little angry," Tynan said.

"It was very hard to accept who I was because I felt like there was an image I needed to portray being the son of a famous AFL player – especially someone so iconic."

On the eve of the AFL's indigenous round, Adam Goodes pays tribute to Nicky Winmar's courageous act of defiance at Collingwood's Victoria Park 20 years ago.

"It was one of those moments of a proud indigenous man standing up for himself," Goodes said.

"It's something that stands in history which proves that you can call me all the things that you want, you can discriminate against me, say all these things, but I'm still going to be black, I'm still going to be proud.

"That's exactly what the photo symbolises to me. Even today, 20 years later, it highlights how every indigenous person should feel about their heritage."

Former St Kilda star Nicky Winmar is reportedly in a Perth hospital after suffering a heart attack.

The woollen footy jumper worn by St Kilda's Nicky Winmar in what became a defining moment in Australian race relations fails to sell after being passed in at auction at Sotheby's Australia.

St Kilda recruit Nick Winmar is determined to forge his own identity with the Saints despite being the second cousin of former Saint great Nicky Winmar.

"I haven't seen a great deal of him. I was pretty young when he played. I haven't spoken to him (since I was drafted) so I don't know," he said.

"If I was going to end up in Melbourne this is where I wanted to be. They are a great club."

Former Saint Nicky Winmar warns the current St Kilda players that it is hard to get over a grand final loss as they prepare to face the Cats in the final Saturday of September.

"It is still pretty emotional. It comes back to you a lot. It's been 12 years but it still plays on your mind for many years. The boys representing the St Kilda side this week, I hope it doesn't happen to them," Winmar said.