Personal pain for top Hawk
Husband’s heart battle
TRACEY Gaudry’s husband almost died of a heart condition just two days after she took on the chief executive’s job at Hawthorn.
The revelation follows this week’s shock departure of the AFL’s first female chief executive after just five months in her role.
There are concerns Ms Gaudry did not receive enough support to help deal with her husband Tony’s recovery and that she was a victim of a political battle involving Jeff Kennett, who returned as club president this week
Tour de France commentator Matthew Keenan said Ms Gaudry had a difficult start.
“Tony suffered major heart trauma — tachycardia caused by myocarditis — two days after Tracey took on the job,” he said. “He is super fit and healthy and he runs his own business but he nearly died of heart failure.
“They’ve got three kids, all school age. It’s a lot to handle taking on any new job.”
Mr Keenan said Ms Gaudry’s resilience would have come through if given more time.
“She survived leukaemia herself and that’s when she got into cycling,” Mr Keenan said.
“She did the Great Queensland Bike Ride and 18 months later she was riding professionally and ended up at two Olympic Games and since then has devoted her career to giving back to sport and community.”
Sydney Olympics cycling gold medallist Scott McGrory was surprised at Ms Gaudry’s sudden departure. He thought the club should have given her a chance to get her feet under the desk.
“They should have given her more time than they did, ” he said.
McGrory questioned why the club did not provide more support when her husband was sick.
“If it had have been any other player, they would have given them more compassion and it makes me ask the question, ‘Why weren’t they prepared to give that compassion?’ ” he said.
“Was there a political battle behind the scenes that was played out? They were very quick to call Kennett and ask him to come back. I imagine there was lots of conversations in the previous few weeks.”
A well-placed source, who was shocked at Mr Kennett’s return, said the AFL and its clubs still had a problem with promoting diversity.
“They need new leadership, new thinking, but they just keep recycling the same old stale males,” the source said.
“Why would anyone put their hands up for a top job now? The code has taken 10 steps back on this one.”
Ms Gaudry has been criticised this week for her lack of football experience and her “cycling references”.
But the board had appointed her knowing her background after an extensive external search.
She had been a general manager at Athletics Australia, who helped set up the successful Nitro Athletics competition that brought Usain Bolt to Australia.
She was also influential with the Amy Gillett Foundation — which promotes cyc- ling safety in the name of the Olympian who was killed in a road accident — as chief executive for five years.
AFL stalwart Susan Alberti, a former Western Bulldogs vice-president, was also surprised at Ms Gaudry’s departure.
“I was very shocked and saddened,” she said.
Hawthorn declined to comment yesterday, but said in a statement earlier this week, “Unfortunately, Tracey has faced extenuating family and personal circumstances this year which have made it difficult to continue in the role.”
Mr Kennett also declined to comment.