Olympic stalwart Phil Smyth says AOC compromised by John Coates v Danni Roche battle for presidency

BASKETBALL legend Phil Smyth warns John Coates could become a lame-duck Australian Olympic Committee president - or vital influence could be lost - after a vicious election campaign.

Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates conducts a talk during the Rio 2016 games. Picture Eugene Hoshiko (AP).

BASKETBALL legend Phil Smyth warns the offensive to oust John Coates could deliver a lame-duck, AOC president — or see massive intellectual capital and influence lost if he is unseated.

Smyth fears the vicious battle for the Australian Olympic Committee presidency waged between Coates and challenger, former Hockeyroo Danni Roche, will end in a double negative for the movement.

Four-time Olympian Smyth predicts Coates will scrape home in Saturday’s AOC president ballot but will be left wounded by mud-slinging, including allegations of a toxic workplace culture.

“The internal damage concerns me. Next time they (AOC) go a to a sponsor it doesn’t matter who it is they might say they don’t want to be involved,” Smyth told The Advertiser.

“When you throw mud it sticks, even if it is not true.

“Coates has always been highly respected but now when he walks into a sponsor they wonder if he bullied a person.

“It is always healthy to have a challenger but the sad part is the dirt laundry that’s being aired.

“Danni and John are both highly intelligent people ... (but) he has battle scars that she hasn’t got — yet.

“There are agendas on both sides.”

Coates is regarded as second in line to International Olympic Committee president, Germany’s Thomas Bach.

Cutting down Coates at the peak of his influence and having no transfer of knowledge in place would risk crippling Australia’s global clout says Smyth.

“Let’s say Coates misses out, leaves with bad blood and 27 years of intel walks outs the door that can’t be replaced overnight,” said Smyth, Australian, captain at Seoul 1988 when Australia lost the bronze medal playoff to the United States.

However a succession plan and term limits promised by Roche — who apparently fell out with Coates at Beijing 2008 — have validation, he said..

“It would all have been nice if we have found a way so even if John did lose we could still use his networks,” said Smyth, with Coates facing his first challenge in 27 years.

“There has to be a changeover in place next time.”

Smyth noted Coates was a powerful figure who “scared” some people but wondered why it had taken an election campaign to raise issues about workplace behaviour.

Coates has been accused of saying the AOC isn’t a “sheltered workshop”.

“We don’t hear any of this stuff unless we want to get rid of the person,” said Smyth.

“I never saw any evidence of it in my time with him and he was under huge pressure during the (Sydney) Olympics, (but) always had time for people.

“That’s what confuses me.

“If you could prove that Coates was doing all the things that being thrown at him you would say it was time for a change.”

In Smyth’s experience, Coates had the back of athletes and could advance Australia interests in international competition with “a phone call”.

“It may have changed over the journey but John knew who the athletes were and (would) back them in,” said Smyth.

Originally published as Olympic stalwart Phil Smyth says AOC compromised by John Coates v Danni Roche battle for presidency