Saints boss evokes Winmar as racism flares again in AFL

If the fan is identified, Lethlean said they will not be allowed into St Kilda games.

The comment is understood to have come from a St Kilda section of the crowd and the AFL integrity unit is investigating.

Lethlean said if the fan was a Saints member, "absolutely" their membership would be cancelled.

On April 17, 1993, Winmar raised his Saints guernsey and pointed to his chest in response to racist comments from Collingwood fans during a match at Victoria Park.

The photo of the incident became a rallying point for the issue of racism in Australian sport.

"It's 30 years and two weeks since Nicky Winmar made (his) statement ... to still be dealing with stuff like this now is completely inappropriate," Lethlean said on Monday.

"They're entitled to have a safe workplace, our Indigenous players and our multicultural players. If it isn't the case, it has to improve."

Lethlean, a former senior AFL executive, was asked if he despaired that the game was still dealing with racism, three decades after Winmar highlighted the issue.

"We all despair if a player of any background can't feel safe in their workplace and people in the crowd think it's OK to say those things," he said.

"We encourage all fans to call out this behaviour, to stop it, to teach your kids what is right.

"Yeah, you certainly despair - 30 years ago, on April 17, Nicky did what he did because he didn't feel safe and feel respected. It's still happening.

"All we can do is call it out, educate, support our people and hope that it stops. That's obviously a work in progress."

Lethlean added education, as well as punishment, was needed if the fan is identified.

"It's disgraceful behaviour, it's just not to be tolerated on-field or off-field," he said.

"First thing is to find them, speak to them, educate them and they're not coming back to St Kilda games any time soon."

St Kilda will celebrate their 150th birthday at Saturday night's MCG match against Essendon.