AFL sexual harassment scandal: Senior club figure under investigation after complaint

A SENIOR AFL club figure is under investigation over a sexual harassment complaint.

A senior AFL club figure is under investigation over a sexual harassment complaint.

A SENIOR AFL club figure is under investigation over a sexual harassment complaint.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal that a club received a complaint about the man’s behaviour towards a woman.

The club, which followed appropriate procedure, then forwarded the complaint to the AFL.

The league confirmed tonight that it had received the complaint.

“The AFL can confirm a club has reported a complaint under the Respect and Responsibility Policy, which they want investigated. It involves an allegation of sexual harassment,” a spokesman said.

“The AFL notes that the person has strongly denied the allegation and welcomes an investigation into the complaint and will fully co-operate.”

It is believed that the woman has spoken to a lawyer about her concerns.

The Sunday Herald Sun has been told the figure has been accused of making inappropriate sexual comments towards the woman.

The club did not comment tonight.

The AFL confirmed a club has reported a complaint. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The latest revelation comes after a horror year for the AFL.

The Herald Sun revealed this week that a male staff member at the AFL’s Docklands headquarters was forced to resign after a string of female colleagues accused of him accused of sexual harassment.

And former football operations manager Simon Lethlean and commercial manager Richard Simkiss resigned in July after they had separate inappropriate relationships with junior female AFL staff members.

Lethlean, who had been linked to chief executive roles at Carlton, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, landed a job at St Kilda this week.

He will be the Saints’ general manager of football, above former first-class cricketer Jamie Cox.

Simon Lethlean. Picture: Stuart McEvoy for the Australian

Richard Simkiss. Picture: Supplied

Saint’s chief executive Matt Finnis said Lethlean was an “outstanding candidate” despite the circumstances of his departure from the AFL.

Simkiss has obtained a job with his longtime friend Craig Hutchison at Crocmedia, which will take over sports radio station SEN.

The AFL updated its Respect and Responsibility policy this year following an external review.

The new policy included new guidelines with how to deal with complaints from women.

The policy was also put under the spotlight following a nude photo scandal involving Richmond premiership player Nathan Broad.

Broad was suspended for three weeks for sharing a photograph without consent of a topless woman wearing a premiership medallion.

The photograph went viral in the days after Richmond’s historic win.

Tanya Hosch, AFL general manager of inclusion and social policy, said when launching the new policy last month that the league had a “history of inconsistency” when responding to complaints from women.

“What became clear in the research was it was difficult for clubs to deal with an issue without some degree of conflict of interest if the complaint lands with them,” she said.

She said at the time that clubs knew they could not “manage” complaints.

“There is an appetite in the industry to do better on this,” Ms Hosch said.

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