The chief executive of embattled Super 14 club Western Force, Peter O’Meara, has resigned.
Following a year in which Rugby WA copped a $150,000 fine for illegal player payments and had to defend its players over mistreatment of quokkas on Rottnest Island, O’Meara today announced he was leaving on January 18.
In a statement from the club, O’Meara said he and the Force could not reach agreement over the length of his new contract – with a current deal due to run out later this year.
“There were some things that I wanted to see through to their completion but beyond that I had my eye on trying my hand at something else,” O’Meara said.
“The board wanted the same person in the role for another three years and my horizon was a bit shorter than that.”
Former Wallaby winger Mitch Hardy, currently RugbyWA’s general manager of community rugby, will take over the position in the short term.
A former Commonwealth Bank executive with previous experience on the boards on the NSW and Queensland rugby unions, O’Meara was recruited by RugbyWA in 2005 ahead of the Western Force’s inaugural year.
Despite big memberships and improvements on field, the Force’s off-field dealings – particularly in recruiting high profile players such as Matt Giteau – put O’Meara at odds with the Australian Rugby Union, eastern states clubs and the media.
Following whispers surrounding O’Meara’s relationship with the boss of major sponsor Firepower Tim Johnston, the first major blow came when RugbyWA were hammered with a $150,000 fine by the ARU last year for breaching player contracting protocols.
After consistent denials by O’Meara, the Force were forced to admit to involvement in several breaches of contracting protocols.
These included underwriting third party benefits to players, paying player wages in excess of the maximum permitted by state unions, inappropriate disclosure of player remunerations and offering third party benefits to induce a player to sign.
Then allegations surfaced over secret payments made to a South African national in return for his dropping assault allegations against Force scrum half Matt Henjak.
Those stories also led to revelations Rugby WA was suing its former chief financial officer over confidentiality breaches.
Then last November, former Wallaby Scott Fava and Richard Brown were found guilty of mistreating quokkas and fined $11,000 and $5000 respectively, despite initial denials
RugbyWA Chairman Geoff Stooke said O’Meara had made a significant contribution.
“It was a huge logistical exercise locking in the players, coaching and administrative staff as well as the biggest sponsorship portfolio and the largest membership base, all in a relatively short space of time,” Stooke said.
“Peter’s reasons for leaving are understood and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours and thank him for his significant contribution.”
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