Coates challenged

John Coates says he’s victim of a vindictive campaign to oust him as Australian Olympic Committee president. Ahead of a May 6 vote for the presidency when Coates will be challenged by Olympian Danni Roche, he says the campaign against him is malicious and also rejects claims of bullying in the AOC. ‘‘There is clearly a co-ordinated and sadly vindictive campaign to damage me personally,’’ Coates says in a letter to AOC board members and national sports organisations, which has been published by News Corp.