Daniel Andrews slams Ricky Nixon over dealings with teenage girl
Grant McArthur, Mary Papadakis From: Herald Sun February 20, 2011 12:00AM Ricky Nixon has been filmed leaving a city hotel after visiting the AFL nude photo scandal girl.
Player manager Ricky Nixon, who has categorically denied claims by a 17-year-old girl that the pair had sex, outside his house today. Picture: Andrew Henshaw Source: Herald Sun
Player manager Ricky Nixon, who has categorically denied claims by a 17-year-old girl that the pair had sex, outside his house today.
OPPOSITION leader Daniel Andrews claims player agent Ricky Nixon has failed all football supporters through his dealings with a teenage girl.
Nixon last night issued a statement categorically denying claims by the 17-year-old that the pair had sex.
"I wish to set the record straight. I have never had a sexual relationship with this girl," Nixon said.
The statement came after the girl - who was previously embroiled in the St Kilda nude photo scandal - claimed she and Nixon, 47, had a sexual relationship.
Mr Andrews today said Victorians, particularly those in the country, entrusted people like Nixon to care for their sons and he was ?not necessarily upholding? the standard they would expect.
?To now see an AFL manager, someone who is entrusted with getting these young men on the right path, behaving so badly I think really does reflect very poorly on him,?? Mr Andrews said.
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"He?s got a unique role and it would seem to me and the rest of commonsense Victorians that he has failed in that.??
Premier Ted Baillieu said he was sure the AFL had been working overtime on the matter, and other issues.
"I think the AFL have taken some very significant steps in recent years to not only address issues that they face but to also elevate the culture, and I can only say that is a good thing from the AFL's point of view," Mr Baillieu said.
Police Minister Peter Ryan said the scandal presented the AFL at its lowest, but he had not had contact with Victoria Police about any investigation into allegations that had arisen.
"In a general sense I think the AFL do an outstanding job in presenting the interests of the league to the public of Victoria,'' Mr Ryan said.
"From a government point of view it is safe to say we regret intensely for this sort of thing is out there in the public arena. It's not a matter for us to be directly engaged in and we're not."
Victoria Police confirmed yesterday it had been handed video and audio tapes allegedly involving Nixon and the girl. The police intend to interview Nixon about serious allegations the girl had made against him.
Nixon has admitted "inappropriate" dealings with the girl, as revealed in yesterday's Herald Sun. But in his latest version of events, released last night, he said he had tried to help the girl by providing advice on employment and family.
He repeated his claim that the girl had misused his credit card details to buy an airline ticket.
"Many people, including my family, friends, AFL clubs, players and the media, knew that I was assisting the girl," he said.
Hours earlier, the girl stood by her claims the pair had a sexual relationship, saying she would not "lie".
"I'm not going to retract anything," she said.
"We have had a bad history between each other, but when we were together there was a definite chemistry.
"I'm not going to blame him if he doesn't want to see me again. Obviously I've messed with his life a lot."
Nixon's career hangs in the balance, with the AFL and AFL Players' Association expected to meet this week to discuss the possible cancellation of his player agent's licence.
It is not clear if members of Nixon's star AFL stable, including Nick Riewoldt and teammates Sam Gilbert - who had a relationship with the girl - and Nick Dal Santo, Richmond goal-kicker Jack Riewoldt or Bulldog Robert Murphy, will stay on his books.
AFL Players' Association spokesman Ben Hart said its board would discuss possible sanctions.
"Agents are bound by a set of regulations which include a code of conduct designed to ensure agents manage the affairs of their clients in a professional manner," Mr Hart said.
AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said the league was disappointed by Nixon's actions, but had no jurisdiction to take any sanctions. ?
