The two men who oversaw the clampdown on racism in the AFL believe education will be the best way for Australian cricket to ensure it is not blighted by the social problem for years to come.

Former AFL chief executives Ross Oakley and Wayne Jackson were responsible for implementing the league's code of conduct on racism, which covered both on-field incidents and racist remarks directed to players by members of the crowd.

With the International Cricket Council about to launch a probe into racism among Australian cricket crowds following complaints made by South African players this summer, Oakley and Jackson believe educating fans was the best way to stop the problem.

While both former sports administrators were careful not to criticise Cricket Australia (CA) or fans of the sport, they believed education had helped the AFL - which has dozens of Aboriginal footballers among its playing group - absolve racism from the field and from the terraces.

Oakley, the AFL boss from 1986-96 and the man who oversaw the start of the racial vilification code, said players had led the way educating the public, and that cricketers could do the same.

"We thought it most important that the AFL educate people and provide the lead," he said.

"The players took the part and they have a fantastic influence over the community and that's what we found most effective."

Jackson, who succeeded Oakley in 1997, said educating the public had been a "long and huge investment" and that the league had always pushed its anti-racism stance whenever it had the chance so that the message got through.

"We would always take every opportunity to promote our position on racism and that was through promotional brochures, putting information in the Football Record and talking publicly about it on TV and radio, so that no one is any doubt what our position is," Jackson said.

While CA is yet to commit to the long-term education process similar to the one the AFL began in the early 1990s, Oakley and Jackson agreed there were no signs of racial abuse among AFL fans at games now.

But Oakley warned of the difficulty the league had experienced long ago, and that cricket's administrators have to confront - the small, vocal minority.

"There's always going to be those idiots in the crowd who bring it undone for the greater number of people, and that's what you're up against," Oakley said.

It was St Kilda's Aboriginal star Nicky Winmar who perhaps had the most influence educating AFL fans about racism, when he raised his jumper and pointed to his skin in pride after being subjected to racist remarks by Collingwood fans in April 1993.

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