Australian Olympic Committee in crisis meeting over bullying claims

AN emergency meeting of Australia’s Olympic top brass has been ordered amid intensifying upheaval involving bullying claims.

• Olympic power play escalates
• AOC in crisis ahead of presidential vote
• Ex-AOC staffer’s bullying claims

AN emergency meeting of Australia’s Olympic top brass has been ordered amid intensifying upheaval involving bullying claims.

Opponents of the embattled Australian Olympic Committee boss John Coates successfully demanded the crisis board meeting ahead of next week’s presidential election.

The push for the extraordinary meeting was driven by former athletes and current board members Nicole Livingstone, Danielle Woodward and ex-St Kilda president Andrew Plympton.

The trio acted in response to growing unrest surrounding Coates loyalist and senior staffer Mike Tancred. Multiple sources have raised allegations of an “entrenched” — and unchecked — culture of bullying at the AOC.

“Given the serious nature of the allegations ... we felt that as executive members of the AOC that it was important for the executive to meet as soon as possible,” Livingstone said.

Damaged by claims of financial extravagance, rampant bullying and political discrimination, the AOC agreed to the request yesterday.

AOC President John Coates. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

The details of when and where the meeting would be held remain unresolved but it is certain to take place before Saturday week’s presidential vote.

Coates’ 27-year reign is under threat from challenger Danni Roche, an Olympic gold medallist. It was unclear last night whether Coates would be allowed to attend the meeting given his close association with Tancred, who has worked alongside Australia’s most influential Games administrator since 1999.

Former AOC communications officer Ryan Wells has accused media manager Tancred of repeatedly acting in a manner “unbecoming of the AOC”.

Wells claimed Tancred threatened to kill him in Athens in 2004, saying “there has been a long history of bullying”. The accusations against Tancred could potentially torpedo Coates’ prospects of withstanding Roche’s challenge.

Wells last night welcomed the decision to hold the emergency meeting, saying Tancred’s “actions have heaped shame on the organisation”.

“He is the chief spokesman of the AOC,” Wells said.

“Mr Tancred is an ambassador for the Olympic movement in Australia, whose actions have heaped shame the organisation. The culture of patronage which has flourished under the current leadership and protected Mr Tancred needs to end.”

Former Olympic Hockey gold medallist Danni Roche challenging John Coates as the next Australian Olympic Commitee President. Picture: Ian Currie

Revelations around the AOC’s $14.6 million payment in marketing and licensing fees between 2008 and 2016 to an in-house company owned by close Coates associate Michael Bushell also has dismayed several sports officials.

The AOC spent $62 million on Australian athletes over the same period.

Leading business figures Ann Sherry and Leigh Clifford, who both have strong Olympic links, have endorsed Roche over Coates as the battle for the top job tightens.

Former bank of Melbourne chief executive Sherry, a director of the Australian Rugby Union, and Qantas chairman and Equestrian Australia ­director Clifford, say it is time for change. Qantas is one of the AOC’s most high-profile, and valued, sponsors.

Wells urged the NSW minister in charge of workplace relations, Matt Kean, to investigate the allegations against Tancred.

“In the lead-up to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Mike approached me, came up to my desk, and stood over me about 60cm from my desk and threatened to kill me.” Wells said. Wells was later made redundant.

Mike Tancred.

Fiona de Jong resigned last year. Picture: Elsa/Getty Images

The claim against Tancred is believed to have alarmed members of the AOC executive in the wake of highly respected chief executive Fiona de Jong’s abrupt resignation last year. At the time of her departure, she said she was leaving for family reasons.

Last week, she revealed she felt threatened by Tancred’s language toward her after deciding to walk away from her $450,000-a-year position. De Jong filed a complaint over Tancred’s alleged behaviour.

The Herald Sun understands the stand-off between Coates’ allies and enemies is now “toxic” ahead of the historic election.

Board tensions have risen since Coates omitted star ­athletes Rechelle Hawkes, Livingstone, Woodward and Michael Murphy from his election ticket.

Plympton is standing for one of two vice-presidency spots against Coates’ supporters Ian Chesterman and Helen Brownlee.