Kieren Perkins rejects Maddie Groves criticism over his handling of historical sexual abuse claims

Kieren Perkins has come under fire from Maddie Groves for his handling of her historical sexual abuse claim. And the newly instated ASC CEO has responded.

Before he starts the most important job of his career, as the new chief executive of the Australian Sports Commission, there’s something Kieren Perkins wants to clear up.

He strongly rejects any suggestion he doesn’t support female athletes who have complained about being abused.

Accustomed to being under pressure, the Olympic legend has recently come under fire in his current role as president of Swimming Australia for his handling of historical sexual abuse claims within the sport.

Fellow Olympic medallist Maddie Groves recently told the ABC she was abused when she was a teenage swimmer and condemned Swimming Australia’s approach to dealing with her complaint.

Catch every moment of The Ashes live and ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.

Maddie Groves has condemned Swimming Australia’s approach to dealing with her complaint. Picture: Adam Head

Although the alleged incidents happened long before he became president, Groves was particularly critical of Perkins, saying she was disappointed in his response when she and her lawyer met with him face-to-face.

“Kieren really just seemed like he was in the room as a box-ticking exercise,” Groves said.

“He barely looked at me and didn‘t shake my hand when we walked into the room. He didn’t ask me any questions or show any concern for me.”

Perkins strongly refutes that claim he doesn’t care, saying he forwarded Groves’ complaints to Queensland police and initiated an independent investigation into all claims of abuse within the sport.

“Ms Groves has obviously had some significant challenges and some big things to say, and I certainly acknowledge her experiences as she‘s telling them,” Perkins told News Corp.

“These are things that the sport cannot countenance or in any way allow to continue on.

“With the most recent allegation that she‘s delivered in the media, which is generally where we receive allegations from Ms Groves, it’s been referred to the Queensland police as it absolutely should, because if those allegations are proved to be true, it’s a criminal matter.”

Perkins also took issue with Groves’ claim that he did not directly speak with her when they met earlier this year, saying that he was following the instructions by her legal representative.

“We were called to her lawyers’ offices for a legal conversation between legal counsel,” he said.

Kieran Perkins has taken issue with a claim made by Maddie Groves.

“My recollection is probably different potentially to the way that Maddie reflected her experience at the meeting.

“It was a meeting in legal council chambers between lawyers and the lawyers did the talking predominantly, as they should.”

Perkins, who starts his new role with the Australian Sports Commission early next year, has already identified safety and protection as one of his top priorities for the national sporting body.

And while he has been criticised by Groves, others have welcomed his athlete-first approach to running sport, including Josephine Sukkar, the chair of the Australian Sports Commission, who was instrumental in selecting Perkins for the role of chief executive.

“Kieren, because of his profile and role that he chose to take, became a target for so many things that were issues for in swimming, in particular in Keiren‘s case, things that he wasn’t there, things that he had no direct hand in,” Sukkar said.

“Every discussion I had with him, he had the athletes at the centre of everything we did. He was member focused and athlete focused, and that‘s what we need to be to make sure the sector thrives.”

Perkins handed keys to Australian sport’s top job

No stranger to winning the biggest prizes from the outside, Olympic swimming legend Kieren Perkins has landed himself the most powerful role in Australian sport.

Up against some of the biggest movers and shakers in the national sporting ecosystem, the double gold medallist has been given the plum role of chief executive of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), the federal government’s agency that effectively decides how many sports are run and funded.

A challenging role at the best of times, the job has become even more critical because he now oversees both Sport Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), which previously had separate CEO’s.

Plus it’s happening at a time of global uncertainty, brought about by the pandemic, and the excitement of Brisbane preparing to host the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.

Appointed by Sports Minister Richard Colbeck, Perkins will take over from Rob Dalton, who has been serving as the acting boss for nearly a year after Kate Palmer stepped down, and also Peter Conde, whose tenure as AIS chief is ending.

Kieren Perkins is the new CEO of the Australian Sports Commission. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“It’s an important position and Kieren’s the right person for it,” Colbeck told News Corp.

Perkins will take over in the first quarter of 2022, relinquishing his current job as president of Swimming Australia, who will begin the search for his successor next year.

The Queenslander was appointed as Swimming Australia President just over a year ago and has been credited with not only helping the Dolphins get back to winning in the pool, but also for agreeing to an independent review into allegations of female athletes being abused in the sport, although some swimmers, notably Maddie Groves, have criticised him for not doing enough sooner, a claim he strongly rejects.

Swimming Australia’s new chief executive Eugenie Buckley said she was sorry to lose Perkins but congratulated him on his appointment and would begin the search for his successor next year.

“This is a great opportunity for someone of Kieren’s professionalism, both within sport and the corporate world,” Buckley said.

“We know he’ll be a great asset and support for Olympic and Paralympic sports in this country.”

One of Australia’s greatest long-distance swimmers, Perkins won a stack of Olympic, world and Commonwealth titles in his glittering career, including his inspirational back-to-back gold medals in the 1,500m freestyle at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

His performance at Atlanta in 1996, when he won the gold from the outside lane after struggling to make the final, remains one of Australia’s greatest moments in the pool but the now 48-year-old has also managed to carved out a successful new life in the corporate world.

Since hanging up his goggles, Perkins has made a smooth transition into sports administration and business, holding a range of key roles with sporting bodies, banks and charity foundations.

“Sports Administration is challenging because there are so many incredibly passionate people involved, and we all have very strong ideas about what we think is the right way to do things, the best way to do things and how we actually see sport delivered in the country,” Perkins told News Corp.

“I‘m not at all immune to the fact that this is a big and challenging role. But I really just care about sport. I care about how it’s administered. I care about how it’s funded. I care about how the experience of everyone who’s involved is and the opportunity they have through this sport. And I’d like to see it thrive, and I think that I can contribute to that.”

It was those qualities that endeared him to Josephine Sukkar, who took over this year as the first female chair of the ASC, replacing John Wylie, and vowing to make big changes.

A respected businesswoman, Sukkar was instrumental in pushing for the two CEO roles to be combined as well as picking Perkins from a list of candidates she described as “outstanding.”

“We wanted someone who can dream big and inspire people and that’s what we saw in Kieren,” Sukkar said.

“In every discussion I had with Kieren, he had the athletes at the centre of everything we did.

“He was member focused and athlete focused, and that‘s what we need to make sure the sector thrives.

“It‘s a big organisation, it’s about 500 people, so his executive experience was important to us, his giving back to swimming, his service on the Sports Commission Board, he knows what he’s doing.”

Lynne Anderson, the outgoing chief executive Paralympics Australia, was also appointed as an ASC board member, as part of the commission’s commitment to both Olympic and Paralympic sport in the lead up to the Brisbane 2032 Games.

One of the most respected sports administrators in the country, Anderson is also a member of the Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council and served as chair of the NRL’s Bulldogs club.