Collingwood premiership player Heritier Lumumba says he's walking away from his long-running battle with the Magpies over racism issues.
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Lumumba has been in dispute with his former AFL club for a number of years, particularly ex-Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley.
The 35-year-old has been consistently vocal in his disapproval of management at the Magpies, even following the release of the club's 'Do Better' report last year.
In the last week, Lumumba released audio of heated conversations he had with Buckley back in 2014.
But Lumumba, who retired from the AFL in 2016 after two seasons with Melbourne, claims he is "closing this chapter and releasing the burden".
"It brings me a great sense of peace & fulfilment to close this chapter & confidently walk away having taken this issue as far as it has gone," he tweeted on Wednesday.
"Throughout the years, there has only ever been one mission: to tell & defend my truth.
"The evidence released has only been because individuals have continually undermined the severity of the harm I experienced during my time at CFC, as well as the findings of the 'Do Better' report.
"I always reserve the right to defend myself, especially after working so hard to overcome being systematically slandered and discredited.
"They will now have to bear the burden of what they tried to deny all these years, and face the reality that they were unable to rectify.
"I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all the people who have supported me over the years, particularly Collingwood fans."
Buckley last week challenged Lumumba via a social media post to "put a full and uncut version of our conversations on public record so as to provide context to our conversations".
Parts of the audio appeared to verify Lumumba's claim that Buckley accused him of throwing Eddie McGuire "under a bus" when he publicly questioned the then-Collingwood president's infamous King Kong gaffe.
During one of his regular segments on SEN, Buckley said he was unsure what Lumumba wanted to happen apart from "heads rolling".
"I am happy to engage with the club however they wish, but Heritier hasn't been satisfied with that and that's why we are where we're at," Buckley said last week.
"There are other versions of the truth that are a long way away from the way he perceives it."
Australian Associated Press
