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AOC crisis meeting to focus on bullying claims

Anna Meares has retired (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
26th April, 2017
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A crisis meeting of the Australian Olympic Committee board on Wednesday will be held amid fresh claims of bullying within the organisation.

The meeting has been called during an increasingly bitter election campaign for the AOC presidency, with incumbent John Coates being challenged for the first time since he took the role 27 years ago.

Olympian Danni Roche is vying for the presidency, with a vote on May 6 at the AOC’s annual general meeting.

Coates called Wednesday evening’s executive board meeting, believing he’s victim of a vindictive campaign to oust him as president.

Coates has also rejected claims of bullying from former AOC staffers including ex-chief executive Fiona de Jong which centre on long-time AOC media director Mike Tancred.

Tancred, a loyal supporter of Coates, is also facing new allegations, published by Fairfax Media on Wednesday, that he harassed another former staffer for taking two days off during the Beijing Olympics in 2008 due to a miscarriage.

Tancred has denied any wrongdoing.

In a letter to the AOC executive and national sporting organisations, who will vote on the presidency, Coates said there was “clearly a coordinated and sadly vindictive campaign to damage me personally, and to tarnish all that has been achieved at the AOC”.

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Coates said in the letter that Wednesday’s meeting, to be held via teleconference, would be a forum for a “sensible discussion” in the current heated climate.

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