Football Coach Sacked for Being Gay

Former state premier Jeff Kennett has provoked a gay rights storm by backing a football club that sacked a trainer for being gay.

The Hawthorn president and potential Melbourne lord mayor sparked calls for his sacking after saying Bonnie Doon Football Club was within its rights to sack veteran trainer Ken Campagnolo after it found out he was gay.

“The club felt that once this had been pointed out and you had this gentleman there who was obviously close to young men - massaging young men - it ran an unnecessary risk and that’s why it decided it was best that he not perform those duties again. So the club was trying to do the right thing,” Mr Kennett said.

“When you are in charge of a group of young boys, as this club was as I understand it, it’s got to make sure.”

Mr Kennett said it was as if the club had a pedophile trainer.

“It’s the same if you have a pedophile there as a masseur, right?”

“And you might say the pedophile would do no damage, but once it was pointed out to you, you have a duty of care to those underage children not to put them in a situation of risk.”

He could not guarantee a gay trainer would be welcome at Hawthorn, adding: “I don’t know if we’ve got any.

“I’m just saying at the moment we have a duty of care to our players and staff and you have to make judgments on that. If you don’t do it you end up with potential legal liability.”

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