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Now, fresh reports claim two members of the FFA board resigned last month in protest at chairman Chris Nikou’s lack of transparency over the March incident, where a woman from Tinder was invited to the team’s hotel in Cambodia and had consensual sex with the quartet.
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According to Fairfax, Crispin Murray and Kelly Bayer Rosmarin resigned from Football Federation Australia last month – their terms were due to expire Thursday – over Nikou’s handling of the incident.
The report states FFA sources claim chairman Nikou and chief executive David Gallop began an investigation into the matter, and only then did they inform the other board members of the matter.
The FFA did not publicly announce their resignation.
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The duo’s resignations amplifies concerns raised by Robbie Slater and many others over a lack of transparency around the investigation.
An FFA spokesperson said the governing body is “unable to provide further comments regarding this matter at this time” since the quartet may appeal the findings in the next week, and also cited the privacy of the complainant.
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In Thursday’s FFA Annual General Meeting, Murray and Rosmarin were replaced by the elected duo of Robyn Fitzroy and Carla Wilshire.
Fitzroy is a board governance specialist while Wilshere is the chief executive of Migration Council Australia.
Immediately following the annual general meeting, the new board voted to reappoint Nikou as chairman.
Nilou defended the decision not to inform the board immediately as “proper process.”
“There’s obviously some sensitivities around the issue we’re looking at and had potential implications internationally for us in Cambodia and broadly,” Nikou said.
“It was imperative was went through the proper process of investigation to ascertain the facts to put them before the board, and that’s what happened.”
Asked if the two directors resigned because of the Olyroos scandal, Nikou said: “You’d have to ask them.” One of the banned players, Adelaide United star and Olyroos captain Riley McGree, has already chosen not to appeal his sanction, which lasts until April 1.
However Melbourne City duo Lachlan Wales and Nathan Atkinson, as well as Perth Glory midfielder Brandon Wilson, are considering their options. The trio’s suspension rules them out of a potential Olympics campaign next year.
“They have two rights. At first instance, if they’re aggrieved, a right of review, like an independent group. And then ultimately a right of appeal,” Nikou said.
“That’s the due process we’ve committed to.” Nikou also confirmed that director Heather Reid has officially returned to the board after being on medical leave since February.
Reid was forced to publicly apologise to former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic after comments made following his controversial sacking earlier this year. However Reid will not return as vice-chair.
FFA also reported that their net surplus for the 2018-19 financial year was $433,000, an improvement on the $126,000 loss the previous year. Nikou said FFA were also hoping to unveil a new chief executive to replace David Gallop towards the end of the month.
“We’re at the pointy end of the decision-making process and I would anticipate that we’d be able to make an announcement shortly,” he said.
Banned quartet can still play A-League
Meanwhile, all four of the banned players will not receive further punishment from their clubs, and will remain eligible for selection in the A-League.
Melbourne City coach Erick Mombaerts has promised the club will support their banned Olyroos duo of Lachlan Wales and Nathaniel Atkinson.
Mombaerts said Wales and Atkinson were paying the price for their indiscretion but now it was on the club to support the pair and “help them to be better”.
“No I don’t have any problems, any issues with the players, so I don’t know what’s happened, I don’t know the responsibility of the players,” he said. “So when you don’t know about the situation, let the other (FFA) take their responsibility.
“But they are young, now they have to pay; so they have to maybe also respect this but for us we need to support our players and help them to be better.”
Mombaerts said he wasn’t fully across the incident that led to the ban but the club would help Wales and Atkinson focus on their A-League seasons.
“I don’t know too much about this, the Federation has taken responsibility,” Mombaerts said on Thursday.
“But my job and the club is to support our players and help them to be strong and concentrate with our club.
“That’s the best we’re here for these two guys, they’ll concentrate on the club and try to be better and maybe come back in the future.”