Racism is the perfect example. You don't have to look too far to find it's an issue Down Under. Ask anyone who's Indigenous. Or Asian. Or Italian or Greek. Yet us white fellas still try to deny it.

Much easier when it's someone like Quinton de Kock though. Pretty easy to label him racist after he pulled out of a World Cup game because he didn't want to be forced to take a knee. In the modern-day vernacular, it certainly wasn't a good look.

But it could've been handled a lot better by everyone. De Kock's admitted as much and apologised - extremely graciously. South African cricket authorities should've just sat down with the team and had a chat about it, and maybe then they wouldn't have felt the need to mandate the entire team taking the knee.

That was all it took for de Kock to decide it was a good thing after all. Hopefully it will have convinced a few others around the world that eradicating racism is a worthy cause.

"I would like to start by saying sorry to my teammates, and the fans back home," de Kock's apology said.

"I never ever wanted to make this a Quinton issue. I understand the importance of standing against racism and I also understand the responsibility of us as players to set an example.

"If me taking a knee helps educate others, and makes the lives of others better, I am more than happy to do so.

"I felt like my rights were taken away when I was told what we had to do in the way that we were told.

"Since our chat with the board last night, which was very emotional, I think we all have a better understanding of their intentions as well. I wish this had happened sooner, because what happened on match day could have been avoided."

MORE CANBERRA SPORT

But it was something a lot closer to home that raised my eyebrows. Something that largely went unnoticed.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame announced the inaugural Dawn Award this week.

According to their press release it "will be presented to a courageous groundbreaker who has demonstrated achievement against the odds and challenged the status quo".

I couldn't help wondering if going on national television and making racist comments was also part of the criteria.

She'll be happy to know Canberra's mercurial tennis star Nick Kyrgios has taken her sage advice from 2015 and "gone back to where he came from".

Yep he's at his home in Watson, trying to get his troublesome knee ready in time for a tilt at the Australian Open. When his pet birds aren't stuck in trees.

Fraser later apologised for her comments made on morning TV, but not before they drew widespread condemnation.

It's interesting that, despite her chequered past, Sport Australia Hall of Fame has still decided to name the award after her.

Yes, she is a legend of the pool. But Margaret Court is a legend of the, well, court.

That hasn't stopped repeated calls to change the name of Margaret Court Arena at the Australian Open venue in Melbourne.

Those calls have come because of Court's repeated homophobic comments. (Her anti-COVID comments don't help matters either.)

But it's been argued her personal life doesn't change her sporting achievements so the naming honour stands.

I guess that's the thinking behind the Dawn Award. But there at least needs to be a conversation about whether it's appropriate or not.

Reckon I might take a knee when this one gets awarded. Unless of course Kyrgios is the inaugural recipient. Then that honour might be his.