The rose-coloured view of history shows that Nicky Winmar's stance against racism in 1993 was received respectfully and considerately and sparked positive change in football and society. The truth is something else.

"Winmar was booed regularly after doing it because he confronted Australia," Swans chief executive Andrew Ireland says.

"The amount of articles that were written about him doing the wrong thing, that he shouldn't have brought that issue onto the ground, that what happens on the ground should stay on the ground, and all that - our memory of what happened has become quite distorted. It took a long period of time for it to start to resonate."

So it will with Adam Goodes. In 20-odd years, long after the justifications for the taunts he has endured have been forgotten, Goodes will be recognised as an athlete who knocked the nation out of its comfort zone of ignorance and bigotry.

"Our short-term concern is for Adam's welfare and his ability to come back to footy," Ireland says. "But then there are the broader issues. What I hope - and many people hope - is that the pain Adam is going through isn't wasted and it actually makes Australia a better country."

Sport and politics may not mix - politicians have been largely silent amid the maelstrom. But sport and society certainly intertwine. Sport, particularly the AFL, has backed gay rights, multiculturalism and now has opened the door for a constructive discussion on what racism is and how to stop it. Through the actions of one footballer who has had enough, sport is challenging Australians to decide what they want to see in the mirror.

It's momentous. But the beauty is that it can be broken down to basic humanity, as captured by a Swans staff member with one off-the-cuff remark at training on Thursday - "Lewis feels a million dollars for having done what he did."

What Lewis Jetta did with his spear-throwing goal celebration in the now infamous game in Perth last Sunday, was express his identity and pride - and his anger at the treatment of Goodes. He 'came out of the closet', some might say. And it's not for you in row 35 of bay 22 to pass judgement.

"That's really it," says Ireland. "The broader understanding is around Indigenous people expressing a view and being accepted as being able to express those views. Even if you don't agree with it, it's about respecting their right to have that say.

"Adam was Australian of the Year, he made some comments [about racism in society] around that time. I thought they were really appropriate, I thought he balanced being a strong Indigenous leader with being a proud Australian.

"Some people, though, don't like it. I agree with commentators who make the point that the reason people are having a go at Adam and booing him emanates because he's not a quiet Indigenous person who sits in the corner."

The toll is that, for the upcoming match against Adelaide at least, Goodes has been bullied out of his "sanctuary", as co-captain Kieren Jack described it. It's devastated him. Goodes' mother was part of the Stolen Generations. He grew up copping racist abuse. He found a home in football, where he thought he could be himself.

"It's not until you sit across the table from him that you really see him in a very distressed state, to be able to understand the impact of it," coach John Longmire said.

"When you consider his [history] and he gets into an environment he finally feels comfortable in and comfortable to say a few things on his mind - that this continually happens for him, you can understand why he's very disappointed.

"I think you have to understand this is a real challenge for Adam as it is for a lot of Indigenous Australians. It's not just about being booed on the weekend. It's a whole generational challenge that he's been faced with."

Just like in Winmar's day the backlash for pointing out injustice has been harsh. But one thing that did come out of Winmar's stance, Ireland says, was that racism was largely eradicated from the game. The burden Goodes faces is much heavier - to be a focal point for change in society.

"What we're talking about is a really complex issue that currently is sitting in the sports area and involves Adam," Ireland says. "But I think, disappointingly, it's something that's been constantly part of Australia."