Athletics Australia head coach Eric Hollingsworth has been sent home from Glasgow Commonwealth Games after his public statement criticising team captain Sally Pearson.
Australia’s Commonwealth Games chef de mission Steve Moneghetti has confirmed Hollingsworth’s departure, saying that his accreditation had been revoked and if flights could be arranged he would be heading home today.
Hollingsworth was suspended on Thursday by Athletics Australia (AA) for his statement criticising Pearson for her failure to attend the team’s pre-Commonwealth Games camp. He said Pearson’s “no-show sets a bad example to the entire national team.”
AA condemned Hollingsworth for the statement, saying he had acted without the organisation’s authority by issuing a media release through a public relations advisor, but officials didn’t announce his departure from the games until 12 hours after his suspension, allowing Hollingsworth to continue coaching last night at the track.
“That was my decision and my decision entirely because we had an athlete that was competing in an event that Eric – whilst he was head coach, he was also the team coach appointed to that event … the heptathlon and that event was continuing,” Moneghetti said.
“And out of respect, and it’s been my line – and it’s been a consistent line that [we should] look after the athletes, we didn’t want to affect her performance and he was the appointed coach for Sophie [Stanwell] so we let him complete his duties in that role before we effected the arrangements and the sanctions.”
“I think we’ll all agree that was a terrific outcome from the athlete’s point of view and that’s what we’re all about.”
