Essendon chief Xavier Campbell staying put after declining AFL role
Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell, who helped restore the Bombers’ reputation after the supplements saga, has recommitted to the Bombers despite the AFL dangling a plum new position in front of him.
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Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell has turned his back on a move to the AFL.
Campbell, who helped steer the Bombers through the ASADA drugs scandal, has recommitted at the Bombers where he believes he has unfinished business.
But Bombers chairman Lindsay Tanner will step down after next season.
Campbell took control of Essendon in July 2014 after the departure of interim chief executive Ray Gunston.
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The AFL had approached Campbell to take up a new executive position.
But Essendon chairman Lindsay Tanner told Thursday night’s AGM and members forum that Campbell was staying put.
“I’m delighted to announce tonight that Xavier has very recently reaffirmed his commitment to the role of chief executive officer at Essendon,” Tanner said to raucous applause.
“Rest assured the only reason I’m not clapping as wildly as you guys are is because I’m supposed to maintain a level of decorum up here.
“But I’m absolutely delighted.”
However, moments after announcing Campbell was staying put, Tanner revealed he would step down after the 2020 season.
“Tonight is my last AGM as president and next year my last as president,” Tanner told the crowd.
“I did indicate when I took on the job that I saw it as a three to five year job.
“By the time we get to the latter part of next year it will be close to five years.”
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Tanner, meanwhile, said club won’t support a Senate inquiry into the supplements saga.
He said nothing could be gained by pursuing further examination into what led to 34 players being banned in 2016.
“There is no prospect of changing the outcomes of all those processes and the impact they had on both the players and the Essendon Football Club,” Tanner said.
“Any such inquiry will cause significant distress for the people who are most affected … and the club therefore does not support that concept. We do not believe it would lead to anything positive for the club or the players.”
Tanner said he and Campbell remained committed to supporting those banned players, with one personally requesting a meeting with Tanner so he could receive a formal apology, which Tanner gave.
Originally published as Essendon chief Xavier Campbell staying put after declining AFL role