Dockers won’t ditch Lyon
Scandal or not, Fremantle says it’s fully committed to coach
FREMANTLE has thrown its full support behind Ross Lyon, but it remains to be seen whether any other past skeletons will come back to haunt the besieged coach.
President Dale Alcock yesterday squashed rumours Lyon would be sacked, saying the club was committed to the 51year-old and had never contemplated giving him the boot.
Lyon’s future as coach was thought to be in grave doubt after he was named as the Fremantle official at the centre of a sexual harassment case that happened several years ago.
Pressure on him intensified on Thursday when it was revealed the club had referred a second complaint about him to the AFL’s integrity unit. That complaint stemmed from a separate incident in a Fremantle bar from several years ago.
However, the man who made the second complaint contacted the club on Thursday night and again yesterday morning to say he won’t take the matter further.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan confirmed yesterday the league would not investigate that second incident because the complaint had been withdrawn.
The AFL had already closed its case on the first incident, deciding no further sanctions were required.
The former employee who was allegedly harassed by Lyon reportedly received a payout in excess of $100,000 to settle the matter.
Fremantle has called several emergency board meetings over the past week, fuelling rumours that Lyon’s job was in jeopardy.
But Alcock said there were no plans to remove Lyon from his role, with the coach contracted until the end of 2020.
“As a club we are fully committed to Ross as our senior coach and the recent media speculation does not in any way alter the board and the club’s commitment to Ross as senior coach of the Fremantle Dockers,” Alcock said.
Lyon yesterday said he was sorry to see the hurt the situation had caused to his family, the AFL, the club, fans, sponsors and the complainant.
The veteran coach said he held “no fears” for the second complaint that was raised earlier this week.
But when asked whether he was confident no other issues would come to light stemming from his past, Lyon replied: “I can only talk to the issues and allegations at hand.
“I can’t extrapolate out to the future, and I don’t think it’s appropriate.
“As I said, my reputation over 22 years has been hard-fought, hardearned.
“I encourage anyone who is aggrieved to go through the AFL integrity unit or any official authority where it’s appropriate, as this is fair for all concerned.”