AFL affair fallout: Simon Lethlean steps down from Champion Data

THE fallout from an AFL sex scandal is lingering as it was confirmed Simon Lethlean will step down as director of a sporting statistics company after admitting to an ‘inappropriate’ affair.

Simon Lethlean at home in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart McEvoy/The Australian

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FORMER Australian Football League executive Simon Lethlean will also step down as director of the sporting statistics company Champion Data, part-owned by the league.

Sources confirmed the departure of Lethlean, who last week quit his job as AFL football operations manager over an affair with a young employee, though the timing of his exit was unclear last night.

The AFL did not respond to questions, and Lethlean was unavailable for comment.

But the Australian Securities and Investment Commission showed Lethlean was still listed as a “current” director of the statistics company, which provides data to clubs.

Lethlean, who was paid about $900,000 a year at the AFL, was forced to resign on Friday after details emerged of an affair with Sydney-based staffer Maddi Blomberg, the girlfriend of rugby union star Kurtley Beale.

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AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan. Picture: AAP Image/Joe Castro

Simon Lethlean. Picture: Stuart McEvoy/The Australian

Kurtley Beale with girlfriend Maddi Blomberg. Picture: Mitch Cameron

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said at the weekend he was confident Lethlean would get “another chance” in the forgiving football industry.

Former commercial manager Richard Simkiss was also forced to resign over an affair with Ali Gronow, legal counsel at AFL House in Docklands.

Ms Blomberg had left the AFL long before her affair ­became public. It was unclear last night whether Ms Gronow — who is on leave from her league role — would return.

The affairs became public after whistleblowers inside the AFL, who were concerned by the organisation’s treatment of women, leaked details.

Text messages from Ms Blomberg to a friend revealed how upset and confused she was. “I don’t know what to do. I’m so confused,” she confided in one message.

Simon Lethlean speaks to the media. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

The scandal broke as the league considers a report from consultants Rapid Context about its respect and responsibility program. The Herald Sun understands the league will make at least part of the report public at some stage.

AFL diversity officer Ali Fahour also had to leave his league job on being banned from football for life over an incident at a Northern Football League match at Whittlesea on July 1, in which an opponent was punched.

Fahour, 35, of Preston, has since been charged on summons with intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury and unlawful assault, and is to face Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on October 11.

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