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McLachlan said McGuire should be congratulated on his tenure at the AFL’s biggest club.
“Eddie’s priority has always been his family and Collingwood,in that order,and today he has put them first and leaves after a great tenure,allowing someone else to come in to take the club further,” McLachlan said.
“He should be congratulated on his tenure and the decision.”
AFL Commission chairman Richard Goyder also released a statement acknowledging McGuire’s contribution to the club and the game. Yet he also accepted now was not the time to laud McGuire’s contributions other than to say he left his club better than he found it.
“Eddie’s actions today showed his commitment to put the Collingwood Football Club first and to ensure the focus for the club was on moving to implement the 18 recommendations of the Do Better report,” Goyder said.
The club’s board will meet in the coming days to choose a replacement,with Peter Murphy strongly favoured for the job. Mark Korda,who has been on the board since 2007,is also likely to push for the position.
“I try my best and I don’t always get it right,but I don’t stop trying,” McGuire said.
“It is because we have so much going on,so much good to do and with the interruptions and pressure from COVID-19,that I committed to continue my presidency until the end of this season.
“However,I don’t think it’s either fair or tenable for the club or the community[to remain]. People have latched on to my opening line last week and as a result I have become a lightning rod for vitriol but worse,have placed the club in a position where it is hard to move forward with the implementation of our plans in clear air.”
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He said his “sole motivation” as president had been to “heal,unite,inspire and drive a new social conscience”.
He listed a long series of programs run by Collingwood for the community,and said:“we are not a racist club,far from it.
“It is why I’m so proud of our club and the people every day and every week who benefit and who are inspired by the very purpose of the being of Collingwood and that is to be a beacon of hope for all people,particularly those at their lowest ebb or who have been socially isolated and left behind.”
He said:“I committed myself to making Collingwood the best place it could be.
“To our playing group,to our champions of Collingwood,I want them to have no distractions and have clear minds in representing the club,winning the flag and helping to fashion the club that we want.
“When I came to Collingwood,it was a club driven with rivalries,enemies and division. It has not been the case in my time. So I do not want any of this[to] cause rancour or factions. It is better to fast-track my leaving of the club from the end of the year to now.”
The 35-page independent report released last week was prompted by former player Heritier Lumumba’s claims of racism. It found that Collingwood had an unhealthy culture of protecting individuals ahead of the club. Lumumba refused to participate in the report,saying he was doubtful of Collingwood’s rigour in addressing the issues.