KFC rushes to axe footy ad that has left AFL fans divided – with some calling it RACIST because it features Port Adelaide star Aliir Aliir

A KFC advertisement featuring Port Adelaide AFL stars has been removed from the internet after claims the video was racist – but not everyone is taking offence.

KFC is a shorts sponsor for Port Adelaide, who play Hawthorn in a sudden-death final at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

The fast food chain also sponsors the Hawks, along with Collingwood and Richmond.

The axed advertisement is a new addition to the ‘Fried Night Footy’ series it has run across both the AFL and NRL in Australia for several years.

In this version, Port Adelaide star Aliir Aliir points to a bucket of KFC product as fellow Power stars Miles Bergman, Ebony O’Dea and Ashleigh Saint advance on him in a corridor.

He then runs away to indicate he does not want to share the chicken as his clubmates pursue him while the Friday Night Football jingle plays. 

The video only lasts five seconds and was posted on social media on Thursday before disappearing on Friday.

A thumbnail of the original ad remains on TikTok, but clicking on the link leads to a message reading ‘video currently unavailable’.

Port players Miles Bergman, Ebony O’Dea and Ashleigh Saint then appear, wanting some of the chicken Aliir Aliir is carryin, but he is in no mood to share

TikTok user manliketats called out the video as racist because of US stereotypes involving fried chicken and African-American people

It was online long enough for some people to have ripped the video, though, including a TikTok user called manliketats who is an Australian with a Zimbabwean mother.

‘KFC, KFC, KFC, to say I am disappointed is an understatement,’ he says in a reaction video.

‘To say I am disgusted is just an understatement. Did you guys forget what year it is?

‘We’re in 2024. These types of stuff can’t run. We’re no longer in 2003.

‘It doesn’t matter how true this video may be, we’re in 2024 and everybody is going to have an issue with this.’ 

Aliir Aliir was born in Kenya to South Sudanese parents who had fled the Sudanese civil war and moved to Australia when he was just eight years old.

The stereotype linking fried chicken with black people comes from racist history in the United States. 

Racist caricatures and depictions in media, such as minstrel shows and early films, exaggerated and mocked African American culture, often using food as a tool to demean and dehumanise. 

Footy fans were divided, with some calling the video racist and others saying it was harmless

This led to some footy fans calling out KFC for using Aliir Aliir in the now-deleted ad.

‘The racism on kfc smh,’ one commenter posted. 

‘Nah they did that s**t on purpose,’ another wrote.

‘I can see how black people would be offended,’ added another. 

However, the vast majority of footy fans defended both Aliir Aliir and KFC, saying the ad is not offensive in any way.

‘I reckon it’s more racist to not let Aliir Aliir make sponsorship money just because he’s black,’ one footy fan commented on the TikTok reaction video.

‘It’s Australia this stereotype only applies to Americans,’ added another.

‘I can see how black people would be offended, but look at it like this…maybe he genuinely loves KFC and wanted their sponsorship and now he loses a sponsor,’ suggested another.

‘Mate Aliir has been a target of racism before ya I’m pretty sure if he didn’t want to do it because it’s racist he wouldn’t have done it,’ posted another commenter.

Aliir Aliir has been used in KFC promotions before with no backlash, with this advertisement still live on the Port Adelaide X page

Aliir Aliir will play a crucial role for Port Adelaide in its elimination final against Hawthorn on Friday night

KFC Australia has been contacted for comment. 

It is not the first time that Aliir Aliir has been involved in a KFC promotion.

He was featured in the Ultimate Footy Bucket List competition that ran in June, with footy fans able to win a year’s supply of KFC and the chance to meet the Power star.

He was pictured smiling in the promotion, which attracted no backlash.

Port Adelaide will play the Hawthorn Hawks at Adelaide Oval on Friday night with a chance to reach the preliminary final on the line.