Feud deepens between Wests Tigers boss Lee Hagipantelis and fan podcast WestsLife

Legal threats have seen three podcasters apologise and withdraw comments made about Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis - but the trio then launched a fresh volley of complaints.

Lee Hagipantelis sends legal letter to Wests Tigers fan podcast.

Angry Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has claimed in a legal letter that he was made to look “creepy’’ and like a “pedophile” when targeted in a podcast by some of the club’s fans.

Hagipantelis has threatened defamation action over comments on the popular Tigers podcast relating to his alleged pursuit of Parramatta star Mitchell Moses.

A legal letter from Brydens Lawyers, where Hagipantelis is the principal, was sent to Rob Bechara, Aaron Thompson and Josh Barnett, who co-host WestsLife, a podcast focused on Wests Tigers.

The allegations of defamation centred around a podcast comment that Hagipantelis wanted to woo Moses by driving him to and from training in his Ferrari.

“Is he 16 years old?” one of the podcast hosts then says. “That’s actually really creepy. Did he have a Chupa Chup in his hand for him as well.”

Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis. Picture: Getty Images

The contents of Hagipantelis’ letter were explosive. The letter claims there was a false imputation conveyed that “Mr Hagipantelis is the type of person to attempt to lure people into his car with a ‘Chupa Chups’.”

It also claims that the podcast falsely conveyed: “The implication that Mr Hagipantelis’ conduct is somehow similar to the conduct of a pedophile in that he tries to entice persons into his vehicle with sweets is disgraceful offensive in the extreme.

“The imputation that Mr Hagipantelis, when he was single, would have approached women in ‘creepy’ ways involving begging and the like is similarly defamatory and offensive.”

Bechara, who withdrew the comments and apologised, was standing staunchly by his right to comment on Hagipantelis, saying: “I feel like it’s just him trying to flex his muscles.”

The concerns notice.

The concerns notice

Hagipantelis’ legal letter, obtained by this masthead, claims the podcast falsely “suggests that Mr Hagipantelis is so desperate to engage players with the Wests Tigers Rugby League Club that he is resorting to offering prospective players rides in his Ferrari in a way which is described as ‘creepy’.”

It continued: “We confirm that Mr Hagipantelis has not spoken with Mr Mitchell Moses, and the defamatory statements you have made concerning the offer to take Mr Moses on rides in Hagipantelis’ Ferrari are therefore false.”

The three podcasters have since withdrawn the comments and apologised, although Bechara would not be silenced.

“I am totally entitled to my opinions of (Hagipantelis) on a podcast. I am a supporter giving my opinion based on where we are on the ladder and how we have declined since the start of his tenure from ninth to 17th,” Bechara said.

“It’s just a footy show, a podcast, that’s what we discuss.

“He has thrown the coaches under the bus. He says we’re not the ones to let go of Jackson Hastings. They didn’t but they appointed the coaches that let go of Hastings. He says things that are just excuses but nothing of substance that gives us hope.

“He said there are death, taxes and Tim Sheens will be coaching in 2024. Now he’s gone.

The WestsLife Podcast issued an apology to Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis. Credit: Facebook.

Hagipantelis fired back, saying: “Podcasters and others are perfectly entitled to their opinion, legitimate or otherwise, and they are perfectly entitled to be critical of the club, myself or Justin (Pascoe, CEO).

“What they are not entitled to do is defame me by impugning my character or reputation in a public setting, for which there are legal consequences.

“This has obviously been acknowledged by the gentlemen in question given they have unreservedly apologised and I do not understand why they find it necessary to continue to agitate the matter (in the media).”

Bechara pointed out why he and fellow Wests Tigers fans were so frustrated.

“We have won eight games in two years. You put our combined wins together over two years and we’re still not in the running for the top eight. We have had six wins since Michael Maguire was sacked. The fans are sick of it,” he said.

“Wests Tigers made a foolish decision to appoint an untried coach in Benji Marshall but they have to back Benji for the long-term and give him the support he needs.

“But how do we know they won’t stab him in the back next year? It’s hard to trust them given what they did to Tim Sheens and ‘Madge’ (Maguire).”

Originally published as Feud deepens between Wests Tigers boss Lee Hagipantelis and fan podcast WestsLife