Demetriou in the running for top tennis job (Age)

[one-eyed]

Footy boss in the running for top tennis job

  Joe Aston
    The Age
    September 29, 2013 - 11:08AM

The country's most powerful sports administrator, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, could soon be leaving our shores, the Australian Financial Review reports.

Demetriou is in the running to fill the vacant top job at men's tennis governing body, the ATP, headquartered in London.

The footy boss met with tennis officials about the job on a recent trip to the United States. Despite reports he had been headhunted by them, Demetriou was actually put forward to the ATP as a candidate by an emissary.

Demetriou lukewarmly denied rumours last month he was in the running for the tennis role in an interview with 3AW host Neil Mitchell.

"Last time I checked I'm not a tennis person,” he said. “Have you ever seen me play tennis? I've got a good job. I've got the best job in Australia. [I'll stay] as long as the commission wants me to stay."

Demetriou was appointed as AFL chief executive in 2003. Next season is widely expected to be his last in the job.

This year was a tumultuous one, including the epic battle between the code and Essendon over the club's drug scandal.

The ATP's previous executive chairman Brad Drewett was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in January 2012 and died in May this year, aged 54.

Last week on Financial Review Sunday on the Nine Network, Demetriou conceded he has been offered a seat by James Packer on the Board of Crown.

Demetriou and AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick unsuccessfully sought the Commission's support for that secondary role. “We were pretty unimpressed with that idea,” says one Commissioner.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/footy-boss-in-the-running-for-top-tennis-job-20130929-2ulzs.html#ixzz2gF35svj3

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