AOC culture 'out of step' with Olympic ideal, review finds

Australian Olympic Committee staff say the organisation is out of step with Olympic ideals, an independent review has found.

File: AOC President John Coates addresses the Australian Olympic Committee after he won the vote during the meeting of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC)

File: AOC President John Coates addresses the Australian Olympic Committee after he won the vote during the meeting of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) Source: AAP

Australian Olympic Committee staff believe the organisation's culture is out of step with Olympic ideals, an independent review has found.

The review found the AOC's ideals are not consistently put in practice.

"While staff and stakeholders hold the AOC in high regard and express immense pride in what the organisation has achieved over the years, they describe the organisation as being out of step - with both their ideals and minimum expectations for a modern organisation," said the investigation findings, which were released by the AOC on Thursday.

"Instead of seeing the organisation as celebrating the best of the Olympic ideals, staff and stakeholders speak of a more immediate horizon of challenges and difficulties that stem from a culture that is not aligned with the ideals that the organisation aspires to uphold."
The review said the AOC "needs to answer the question of how it can play a leadership role as an organisation in the Olympic family while, at the same time, progressing the interests and ambitions of Australia".

"As it happens, the majority of the AOC's values are neither strongly nor consistently expressed in practice," the report said.

"Indeed, the AOC values are not widely recognised by staff, nor do they resonate strongly with them.

"Instead, the AOC's staff identify strongly with the spirit of Olympism and staff and stakeholders feel more closely connected to the ASPIRE values created for athletes."

The Australian Olympic team's values have been termed ASPIRE - an acronym for attitude; sportsmanship; pride; individual responsibility; respect and express yourself.
The independent review was commissioned in the wake of bullying claims within the AOC which came to light during a bitter ballot for the AOC presidency, retained by incumbent John Coates over challenger Danni Roche in May.

Several claims centred on long-time AOC media director Mike Tancred, who remains stood down from his position.

Tancred stood down from his job during the presidency campaign and has been reprimanded for his conduct regarding ex-AOC chief executive Fiona de Jong.

Tancred was cleared of a bullying allegation made by de Jong but was reprimanded by an separate investigation which found he engaged in disreputable conduct.

Tancred stood down from his position on April 26 following de Jong's claims that he threatened her while at the AOC.

De Jong's allegation prompted a series of other accusations from former AOC employees and concerns among athletes and sports about the culture of the organisation.

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Published 24 August 2017 11:26am
Updated 24 August 2017 8:35pm
Source: AAP


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