Maccabi official was warned about abuser
THE fallout from the conviction of ex-Maccabi Victoria basketball coach Shannon Francis on child sex abuse charges committed between 1999 and 2000 continues.
THE fallout from the conviction of ex-Maccabi Victoria basketball coach Shannon Francis on child sex abuse charges committed between 1999 and 2000 continues, with revelations this week that the former mentor was allowed to continue working for the club despite a warning he was “coming on to” a young team member in his charge.
A woman, who requested to remain anonymous, said she told a senior Maccabi official at the time of the offences that she felt Francis “was giving [the team member] too much attention and it was inappropriate behaviour”.
“I wouldn’t and couldn’t have [kept] it to myself. I knew something was wrong and spoke to [the official] about it,” the woman recalled. “I wasn’t concerned with what was going on during practice or at the games. It was off the court. It appeared to me that the coach was coming on to [the team member].”
The woman said the official stated they were aware of the issues surrounding Francis and that the matter was being addressed.
“It wasn’t a long conversation but [the official] assured me things were being taken care of,” she said. The official in question was contacted for a response to the allegations, but failed to provide one prior to The AJN going to press.
Jewish victims advocate group Tzedek said it was “astounding” that a “senior [Maccabi] leader was informed and apparently well aware of inappropriate behaviour, and seemingly did little to protect these innocent children”.
Francis was sentenced to eight years in prison last week after pleading guilty to four offences. Two of the four complainants in the case were Jewish. Maccabi Australia last week issued a release apologising “unreservedly” to the victims in the case, and acknowledged “the complaints of its handling of this matter”, which were revealed in The AJN last week.
“Maccabi recognises the distress of the victims in this matter. If our behaviours as an organisation and as officials were felt to be uncaring and insensitive, we unreservedly apologise,” the statement read.
ADAM KAMIEN
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