School rejects using the late Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin’s name

A Victorian school has snubbed its famous alumni the late Alex “Chumpy’’ Pullin and refused to name a new $7 million basketball court after him.

Exclusive: The parents of triple Winter Olympian Alex “Chumpy’’ Pullin say they are hurt and disappointed after his old school overturned a decision to name a basketball stadium after their son.

The Mansfield community in Victoria’s high country voted to name a new $7 million stadium at the local secondary school in honour of the late snowboarding world champion.

But after the name was gazetted, the school objected and told the council it did not have naming rights, and the school would choose a new name.

Chumpy was killed in a tragic accident on the Gold Coast in 2020 at the age of 32.

Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin died in tragic circumstances in 2020. Picture: Getty Images

His father Chris Pullin, one of three generations of Pullins raised in Mansfield, said the family had been “really chuffed’’ when the council approached them last year about naming the stadium after their son.

“We thought good on the shire, good on the community, for remembering Chumpy that way. What a wonderful vibe to give it, the energy that place would have had,’’ Mr Pullin said.

He believed the gesture honoured his son not just for his sporting achievements, but for the role model he was, the generosity he showed to young people, and the effort he put back into sport.

“It was wonderful for us, such a nice gesture, to know the community felt that way,’’ he said.

Alex Pullin's father, right, says he is hurt by the school’ decision. Picture: Getty Images

Chris and Chumpy’s mother Sally ran the local ski hire shop for 37 years before recently retiring interstate.

Mr Pullin said the council called him to apologise and told him the school had decided the stadium would no longer be named after his son.

“It was hurtful and very disappointing,’’ he said.

“I’ve turned my back on it as much as I can. We don’t speak about it much, how disappointing it was and what a loss it was, not just for the Pullin family but for the stadium itself.’’

An artists impression of the stadium at the centre of the dispute. Picture: Mansfield Shire Council

Mansfield Shire Council Deputy Mayor Mark Holcombe said he “still didn’t know’’ why the school wouldn’t accept the name.

The council ran a community poll to choose the name, which voted overwhelmingly in favour of naming it Alex Pullin Stadium.

“There were more than 2500 votes in favour of the name and about 25 against,’’ he said.

Cr Holcombe said it wasn’t until later this year he found out the school had objected and asserted its right to choose the name.

He said questions about why the name was unacceptable had not been answered.

“All we got back was that they had the right to name it and they will name it as they see fit,’’ he said.

Mansfield Shire Council Deputy Mayor Mark Holcombe. Picture: Supplied

Mansfield Secondary College principal Timothy Hall. Picture: Supplied

He said he had attended meetings with the school in an unsuccessful bid to resolve the issue.

“We just kept getting a blank response that it belonged to the Education Department,’’ he said.

Cr Holcombe said the council had pulled together funding for the new stadium from council grants, the school, the Department of Education and the Federal Government.

It project-managed the construction and would maintain and manage the stadium.

It was built on Education Department land at the school under a joint agreement – the school would use it in school hour and the community would have access after-hours and at weekends.

The stadium is now open, but does not have a name.

School principal Timothy Hall did not respond to a request for comment.