John Coates says sorry for 'sheltered workshop' remarks in AOC email

The Australian Olympic Committee’s president, John Coates, admits he erred when using the term “sheltered workshop” in an internal email that referred to a staff member with cancer.

“It was the wrong choice of words,” Coates said on Thursday, in a statement reported by the ABC and by Fairfax Media.

“I know that because I’ve spent most of my adult life advancing the cause of disabilities and for which the Australian Paralympic Committee extended me its highest award — the Australian Paralympic medal,” he said. “It’s actually one of the things I’m proudest of.”

Coates has been under fire for using the term, which stigmatises people with disabilities.

The emails were released by the former AOC chief Fiona de Jong on Wednesday, prompting criticism of Coates by the Australian Paralympic Committee chief, Lynne Anderson, and the federal sports minister, Greg Hunt.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that language which flippantly casts aspersions on those with disabilities is not appropriate and has no place in Australian public or private discourse,” Hunt said.

The reputation of the AOC has been tarnished by allegations of bullying and a toxic workplace culture. The complaints have emerged in the closing stages of the AOC’s presidential election campaign, the first challenge to Coates in his 27-year presidency.

He is being challenged by the businesswoman and 1996 Atlanta Olympics hockey gold medallist Danni Roche, who is campaigning for reform of the organisation.

Roche has previously called for an audit of the organisation’s finances. On Thursday she said an external party was needed to review workplace practices.

Coates alleged on Tuesday that he was the target of a “vindictive” campaign, designed to damage him before the election.

“There is clearly a coordinated and sadly vindictive campaign to damage me personally, and to tarnish all that has been achieved at the AOC,” Coates wrote in the letter published by News Corp. “This campaign is as disappointing as it is unfounded.”

De Jong previously complained that she had been bullied and threatened by a senior AOC employee but that no action had been taken.

That’s a claim denied by Coates, who said due process had been followed and the complaint treated with urgency.

Another former employee, a communications officer, Ryan Wells, alleged he had been threatened by the same senior AOC employee.

The allegations prompted an extraordinary board meeting this week and the senior employee stood aside pending an investigation.

The vote for president will take place on 6 May at the AOC’s annual general meeting.