Kristina Keneally hits out at John Coates over Roche ‘puppet accusation

Former NSW premier Kristina Keneally slammed AOC president John Coates for describing Danielle Roche as a “puppet’’.

John Coates accused Ms Roche, a member of the 1996 gold medal winning hockey team and the Australian Sports Commission, of being a puppet of ASC boss John Wylie.

Former NSW premier Kristina Keneally today slammed AOC president John Coates for describing his challenger Danielle Roche as a “puppet’’ candidate and urged Olympic sports to vote for new leadership in Saturday’s ballot.

Ms Keneally said Mr Coates’ resort to the same attack lines used by her ALP factional political opponents when she challenged Nathan Rees for the state Labor leadership was a “pathetic last grab to hang onto power’’ and that the AOC should be doing more to support Olympic sports.

Kristina Keneally.

In his final pitch to sports ahead on an unprecedented vote to determine control of Australia’s Olympic movement and the make-up of the AOC board, Mr Coates accused Ms Roche, a member of the 1996 gold medal winning hockey team and the Australian Sports Commission, of being a puppet of ASC boss John Wylie.

Mr Coates’s campaign is being publicly supported by two renowned factional warriors of the ALP NSW Right, former federal MPs Graeme Richardson and Mark Arbib.

“For God’s sake John Coates, at least be original in your insults,’’ Ms Keneally told The Australian.

“Borrowing an attack line from Nathan Rees and rolling it out like he did in the final hours before a ballot demonstrates a pathetic last grab to hang onto power. It didn’t work for Rees and if there’s any justice in the world, it shouldn’t work for Coates.

“Danni Roche is a highly qualified, well-educated business woman and sports administrator. She’s an Olympic gold medallist. Dare I say it, she’s nobody’s puppet and girl.

“I believe Rees was fed the puppet line from certain faceless men in the ALP. Coates has his own group of Labor blokes backing him. So, tell me, who exactly is getting their string pulled.’’

Richardson at the start of the campaign derided Ms Roche as a fourth-pick candidate with paltry qualifications who stood no chance of toppling Mr Coates, the AOC president for 26 years and a senior figure within the International Olympic Committee.

Saturday’s vote at the AOC’s Sydney headquarters, which will be conducted by a secret ballot of all summer and winter Olympic sports and current members of the AOC executive, is expected to be very close.

Keneally was involved in Olympic sport as a chief executive of Basketball Australia. She revealed her frustration at dealing with AOC inflexibility on issues like team travel and sponsorship.

Ms Roche has vowed to review all AOC spending to prioritise Olympic athletes and sports. She has also promised to tackle the tight sponsorship restrictions that prevent national sports federations from promoting their own athletes during the Games.

“Danni Roche is 100 per cent correct when she says the AOC can and should do so much more for sports bodies in this country,’’ Keneally said.

“I dealt with the AOC during my tenure at Basketball Australia. I cannot put my hand on my heart and say the AOC operated in the sports’ best interests.

“The AOC needs a clean sweep and a fresh approach. Roche is an impressive candidate and a woman of courage. Our athletes deserve an AOC that works for them.’’