Australian Olympic Committee presidential election ‘toxic’, persistent bullying claims raised

EXCLUSIVE: Damaged by claims of financial extravagance, rampant bullying and political discrimination, the AOC has been forced to call a crisis meeting days out from the presidential election.

UNPRECEDENTED upheaval at the top of Australia’s Olympic movement yesterday led to agreement for a boardroom crisis meeting ahead of bitterly-contested elections next week.

Opponents of embattled Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates successfully demanded the extraordinary board meeting.

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

The trio acted in response to growing unrest involving 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 appearing in the media over the weekend, we felt that as executive members of the AOC that it was important for the executive to meet as soon as possible,” Livingstone said.

The stand off between John Coates’ allies and opponents has turned ‘toxic’.

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

The details of when and where the meeting will be held remain unresolved but it is certain to take place before Saturday week’s presidential vote, where Coates is being challenged by Olympic gold medallist Danni Roche.

It was unclear on Monday 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 for the presidency next week.

Former Olympic Hockey gold medallist Danni Roche is running for the top job.

Revelations around the AOC’s $14.6 million payment in marketing and licensing fees between 2008-16 to an in-house company owned by a 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.

Ex-staffer 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 60 centimetres from my desk and threatened to kill me.” Wells said.

Wells was later made redundant and, stripped of AOC patronage, was forced to return to Europe.

Mike Tancred (pictured) has been accused of threatening to kill Ryan Wells before the 2004 Athens Games.

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, De Jong said she was leaving for family reasons.

Last week, she revealed she felt threatened by Tancred’s language towards her after deciding to walk away from her $450,000-a-year position.

De Jong filed a complaint over Tancred’s alleged behaviour.

De Jong said: “He said, ‘Fiona, withdraw the complaint or I will bury you’.”

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

Coates, 66, faces the first challenge to his 27-year presidency when the nation’s 40 Olympic sport federations gather to vote in Sydney as the AOC buckles under multiple controversies.

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.