Next AFL chief government Andrew Dillon has hit again at questions over the existence of an elite boys’ membership at league headquarters, saying he needs the sport to be a “safe place” for everybody.
Dillon, who was on Monday introduced because the successor to Gillon McLachlan and can take over from the tip of the present AFL season, says the league’s senior ranks are various and denied his appointment was a “jobs for the boys” model choice.
“You only have to look at the calibre of our executive team and the calibre of my football, integrity and legal team to say that there’s no boys’ club here,” Dillon mentioned.
“We’ve got a talented, diverse workforce and everyone’s opinions are listened to and acted on. “The more diverse the talent, the better the decisions you get, so I don’t buy that one bit.”
The incoming chief government was appointed following a 12-month search that AFL chairman Richard Goyder mentioned was a “very, very competitive process”.
Dillon, who runs the AFL’s authorized, integrity and soccer departments, performed in six consecutive VAFA premierships for Old Xaverians within the late Nineties alongside different senior business figures Simon Lethlean (St Kilda chief government) and AFL head of umpiring Dan Richardson.
He started on the AFL as in-house authorized counsel in 2000.
He mentioned he wished to foster a “culturally safe” atmosphere throughout the league and make all folks really feel welcome.
“And as importantly, it’s got to be a safe place,” he mentioned.
“We want to be culturally safe and also safe from a physical point of view, so we’re going to continue to put the health and safety of all our players and participants (front of mind).”
Goyder mentioned the AFL Commission’s appointment of the league’s chief government was “the most important decision the commission makes”.
“We are confident in Andrew we have got the right person at the right time to take us forward and guide us into what we think is an exciting era ahead,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the AFL had not “lost momentum” with the delay earlier than asserting Dillon as its subsequent chief.
“I think the most important thing is the outcome and the outcome is what we’ve announced last year,” Goyder mentioned.
“It got announced last year (McLachlan) was going to go, towards the end of last year the Hawthorn thing (serious allegations of racism made by past players and family against senior Hawthorn figures) lobbed, we wanted to deal with that.
“There’s been a few other things that have been a priority of the AFL which have been incredibly important to the game, so I don’t think we’ve lost any momentum over the period.”
Source: www.news.com.au
