Ex-Carlton boss Luke Sayers dumped over lewd pic scandal

Three months after his lewd photo scandal, former Carlton boss Luke Sayers has been dumped and already pictured with another lady.

Luke Sayers’ wife has dumped the ex-Carlton boss over his social media scandal that rocked the AFL landscape earlier this year.

It appears Sayers has moved on quickly, with images emerging of the former footy boss enjoying a dinner out with an unknown blonde woman in Melbourne earlier this week.

A photo of a man’s genitals was publicly tweeted from Sayers’ X account on January 8, along with the name of a senior female executive of health insurer Bupa, an official member partner of the Blues.

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Sayers swiftly posted a tweet to state he had been hacked and to “please ignore all posts” before deleting that message and then disabling his X account.

He was in Italy with wife Cate Sayers and their four daughters at the time of the incident, reportedly refusing to answer calls from colleagues before disconnecting his phone.

Luke and Cate Sayers have separated over his social media scandal. Picture: Matt Loxton

The AFL Integrity Unit investigated the incident and cleared Sayers of any wrongdoing, although he still chose to step down as Carlton president on January 22, the day the findings were released.

The Herald Sun has reported Cate left her husband in recent weeks, quoting a friend of the couple.

“The media coverage earlier this year was very challenging,” the friend told the masthead. “Cate is a strong person, but also a realist.

“She has understandably prioritised protecting the family. Now she knows it is the right time for a fresh start.”

The publication also states Sayers has put a deposit down on a luxury “bachelor pad” in Melbourne.

Prior to the AFL’s investigation into the photo scandal, leading footy commentators were calling for Sayers to break his silence.

Former footy star Kane Cornes and AFL reporter Sam Edmund discussed the situation on SEN radio on January 16 and said “it’s not going to go away”.

“The heat is building around Luke Sayers,” Edmund said.

“We’ve probably danced around this topic for a couple of days, but Carlton won’t comment, the AFL won’t comment and won’t confirm if they are investigating.”

Cornes added: “The thing that’s surprised me with Luke, if he is adamant, which he is, that he was hacked, get up there and have a press conference.

“Sayers has maintained he is the victim of a sinister hacking incident, a scenario that social media experts have said is highly unusual given he didn’t appear to be locked out of his account.

“This is something that is going to continue to bubble away. It’s not going to go away.”

The AFL did ultimately launch an investigation, which found Sayers had his account hacked by another person when the lewd image was posted.

Sayers firmly denied posting the image.

“I did not post the image, either deliberately or accidentally,” he said in a statement at the time.

“I fully co-operated with an independent inquiry by the AFL which concluded that access to my X account was compromised.

Sayers had spent 12 years on the Carlton board. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

“I am aware of speculation that the naming of another person in the post explains why it happened.

“It does not, and that narrative is wrong. I am so sorry for the hurt that (this) has caused.”

Carlton, which has started the new season with four straight defeats, conducted its own investigation into the social media post in a process led by Christopher Townshend KC.

The Blues acknowledged the AFL’s finding towards Sayers of no wrongdoing, but said it was in the “best interests of the club” that he step down from the board and “continue to prioritise time with his family”.

Sayers was in the final year of his presidential term after holding the position for three years and had served 12 years on Carlton’s board.

– with NewsWire

Originally published as Ex-Carlton boss Luke Sayers dumped over lewd pic scandal