Crocs clear to play on
AFL integrity unit investigated sponsorship
AFL Cairns club Port Douglas are keen to move on after being cleared of any wrongdoing by the AFL integrity department following a probe into sponsorship of the club from Lee Undy.
Ex-Melbourne-based Bandido bikie gang national sergeant-at-arms Mr Undy is accused of being the mastermind of an international cocaine and MDMA trafficking syndicate in the Far North.
The 46-year-old was at times a spectator at Crocs games and was the target of a nine-month covert sting by a joint taskforce, dubbed Operation Papa Prowess.
Mr Undy was a sponsor of the club in 2016 and was set to again sponsor the club in 2017 but did not pay any money towards the sponsorship last season and the club did not chase him up for the proposed funds.
His businesses purchased three fence signs around the club’s home ground of the Port Douglas Sporting Complex.
AFL Cairns boss Gary Young revealed Port Douglas were cleared of any wrongdoing by the AFL integrity department about two weeks ago.
“The AFL integrity unit have investigated the matter and have given the club and the coach a clean bill of health,” Mr Young said.
“From an AFL Cairns perspective, we are delighted the AFL integrity department, who go through these allegations thoroughly, have come back to us and said the club is right to go and we can get on with our footy season. There is no case to answer on our end, there is no evidence of any kind that Port Douglas have done anything wrong.”
AFL spokesman Jay Allen said yesterday: “We are unable to provide any further commentary other than it is a matter for the police and relevant authorities.”
Port Douglas president Chris Bradsworth wants to put the issue behind the club.
“We are happy that we are exonerated, we just want to move on and play footy, because that us what we do,” Mr Bradsworth said.
“We are a good club and a good bunch of blokes and we know what we do.
“We are proud of what we do in our community and the people of Port Douglas.
“We knew we would be exonerated but whenever things like this happens with bad publicity, it puts a blight on your club. We will move on.”
Mr Undy has been remanded in custody at Lotus Glen.