John Coates says thanks to his rival

AOC boss John Coates has thanked the Sports Commission for its “tremendous assistance and support’’ of the Rio team.

AOC boss John Coates.

Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates has thanked the Australian Sports Commission for its “tremendous assistance and support’’ of the Rio Olympic team in the AOC annual report, despite his belief that ASC chairman John Wylie is working to unseat him at next month’s AOC election.

In his president’s review for the annual report, released yesterday, Coates makes no mention of the coming election on May 6 but does emphasise the continuing strong financial position of the AOC under his direction.

He notes that the Australian Olympic Foundation, which was established with an $88.48 million payment he extracted from the NSW government for the marketing rights to the Sydney Olympics, has grown to $146.3m last year, despite the distribution of $105.13m since 2000.

The foundation has enabled the AOC to become independent of federal government funding and Coates regards ASC board member Danni Roche’s candidacy for the AOC presidency as a bid by the national agency to assert control over the AOC.

Coates also notes that in the last quadrennium sponsorship revenue increased from $39.62m (for London) to $49.6m (for Rio).

“Sponsorship and licensing was an excellent result, given the Games in Rio were not as attractive as those in London for Australian companies,’’ he wrote.

He also reveals that $37.13m in sponsorship revenue has already been secured for the 2020 Tokyo Games, and $18.28m for the following four years, leading to the 2024 Games.

“Never before has the AOC been so well positioned with so many long-term sponsors.’’

Roche and her supporters have consistently hammered Coates over the past few weeks for the size of his salary as the AOC’s executive president, documented in the annual report as $717, 500.

He notes in his statement to the AOC voting membership that he has been “acting CEO pending the appointment of a new CEO (Matt Carroll will start in the position next month) and sharing these responsibilities with AOC Company Secretary and CFO, Sue O’Donnell, who I thank for stepping-up’’.

“Accordingly, this Review includes matters normally covered in the CEO’s Report.’’

Coates also took the opportunity in his annual review to commend Rio Olympic team chef de mission Kitty Chiller, who has also been criticised for her performance in some quarters.

“The Games were challenging in many respects, without a doubt the toughest assignment for an Australian Team since the political upheaval that plagued the Moscow Games in 1980,’’ he said. “I congratulate Kitty Chiller and her Team Executive for an outstanding effort. They confronted many issues in particular security and an accommodation emergency in the Olympic Village.

“Kitty stood up for her athletes, she was very mindful of the dangers faced on the streets of Rio and the wellbeing of her athletes and officials took precedence over everything else.’’

The AOC has deferred a decision on appointment of the Tokyo chef de mission until after the AGM. Chiller has yet to decide if she will put up her hand.

Coates particularly congratulated the women’s rugby sevens team and modern pentathlete Chloe Esposito who won the first gold medals for Australian in their sports.

However, it is the overall medal count (eight gold medals, 11 silver, 10 bronze) which has unleashed the furious debate over the leadership of Australian Olympic sport.