Known for his community work and anti-racism advocacy, Goodes was named the Australian of the Year in 2014. From 2013, his outspokenness on racial issues contributed to his being the target of a sustained booing campaign from opposition fans, causing him to take indefinite leave from the AFL and eventually retire from the game at the end of the 2015 season. The "booing saga" sparked a national debate about racism in Australia and became the subject of two documentary films, both released in 2019. That year, the AFL formally apologised to Goodes for not taking greater action to defend him against fan abuse.