AFL boss Gillon McLachlan hits back at explosive Melbourne report
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has defended the league’s handling of the Melbourne tanking scandal, telling Neil Mitchell there were “unprecedented” penalties handed to those who’d breached any rules.
More than 80 pages of transcripts seen by the Herald Sun has exposed allegations of bullying and threats towards senior staff at the Melbourne Football Club to make sure they continued to lose matches during the 2009 season.
Speaking on 3AW, McLachlan said “tanking meant different things to different people.”
“What is important here is to understand what the rules say,” the league’s chief executive said.
“Decisions were made about what had been breached and there were, I think, unprecedented sanctions and accountabilities taken.
“You can debate whether they’re appropriate, or not, but people have to make a decision about what can sustained, despite what we might think, things that can be sustained in a tribunal or court.”
Chris Connolly, who was Melbourne footy boss at the time, was suspended for a year, coach Dean Bailey was suspended for 16 weeks and the Demons were fined $500,000.
Click PLAY below to hear the full interview on 3AW