Former AFL football operations manager Simon Lethlean has opened up about his affair with a younger staff member, declaring it was "wrong" and he was "truly sorry" for the pain it had caused.
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The AFL has been rocked by revelations Lethlean and general manager of commercial Richard Simkiss had conducted affairs with younger women, each in the AFL industry. They resigned from their senior roles on Thursday, having had their positions discussed at an emergency AFL Commission meeting.
"My resignation follows a wrong decision I made to have an inappropriate relationship with a female employee of the AFL. It is an action for which I am truly sorry for the hurt I have caused," Lethlean said on Friday.
"The relationship should never have happened. As a husband and a leader of this organisation it is up to me to set the example. What I did was wrong.
"I failed my wife, my family, my friends, my organisation and football by making the decision I have. I have hurt the people who are most important in my life and who I love. They have done nothing to deserve this. I am deeply sorry for all the hurt and embarrassment I have caused.
"My priority now is to do everything I can to repair the damage and hurt I have caused my wife and my family and I cannot do this while working in this public role. Regaining the trust and love of my wife and my family will be my total focus.
"I accept the consequences of my action and the need to step aside from the role and want to apologise to the AFL, the commission, the clubs, the AFL's partners and all involved in the game."
Simkiss also apologised, admitting "our industry is on a journey of change, and I can't let my actions halt or damage that journey".
"I have apologised to Gillon and to my colleagues for a serious lapse of judgement that has hurt many people, including my family. My actions did not live up to the values of the AFL and is something I am truly sorry for," he said.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said on Friday the men had made the right call.
"The AFL that I want to lead is a professional organisation based on integrity, respect, care for each other and responsibility," McLachlan said.
"We are committed to a process of change and I am confident that change is being seen across the industry."
The scandal comes after a week after Ali Fahour, who had been the AFL's diversity manager, quit after he was banned for life from playing football for a coward's punch on an opponent in the Northern Football League.
The Lethlean and Simkiss departures come as the AFL has still yet to finalise an upgraded respect and responsibility policy, having consultancy company Rapid Context to provide a report. The league also has Kate Jenkins, the Sex Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission, involved in the process.
Lethlean had been a star on the rise and had risen through the ranks with good friend McLachlan. Simkiss was also highly regarded but their positions became untenable when revelations emerged of their affairs.
McLachlan said the two men had been conducting "inappropriate" relationships "with younger women in the industry". It's understood one of the women has taken stress leave.
"The AFL that I want to lead is a professional organisation based on integrity, respect, care for each other and responsibility," McLachlan said.
"We are committed to a process of change and I am confident that change is being seen across the industry."
McLachlan said the decision for the two men to stand down was made "following issues that have come full to light over the past few days".
"They were quite separate matters but, of course, distressing and of concern to a number of people," he said.
"Simon and Richard have been honest and forthright to me and to their credit, own their mistakes and do not want the work of the AFL to be impacted by their actions."
Asked to elaborate on the relationships, he replied: "I need to be careful – there are number of parties, there are families."
He said there were "no concerns from the other parties".
AFL legal counsel and game development chief Andrew Dillon will be acting general manager of football while Darren Birch will be acting commercial manager. The AFL will look outside of league headquarters to replace Lethlean.
"I expect that executives are role models and set a standard of behaviour for the rest of the organisation," McLachlan said.
"They are judged, as they should be, to a higher standard.
"Many would ask why, but it was imperative for the way I lead and for our organisation to continue to change. I want a diverse and inclusive culture where employees are treated respectfully, fairly and represented at all levels. It was what we have been working so hard to achieve.
"The journey that we are on to a more equal and respectful workplace must be more than just two words. It must be backed up with action and with change. We have come along way."
Lethlean had emerged through the ranks with McLachlan and had only recently been elevated into the top football operations role after Mark Evans left to join the Gold Coast Suns.
"I had no visibility of these actions when Simon was promoted," McLachlan said.