Statement by the Chair of the Agent Accreditation Board

The Agent Accreditation Board met today to determine whether accredited player agent Ricky Nixon breached the standards of conduct governing accredited agents.

The Board had previously accepted findings against Ricky Nixon contained in an Investigative Report prepared for the Board by David Galbally QC.  Today the Board received and considered submissions from Ricky Nixon in response to these findings.

I wish to advise that the Board, in taking into consideration all the material before it, has found that Ricky Nixon breached the regulations by engaging in the following conduct:

1.    Entering into an inappropriate personal relationship with a young person who had been in conflict with players the Player Agent acts for;
2.    Acting in a manner contrary to the interests of players for whom he acts; and
3.    Misrepresenting to players for whom he acts the nature of the relationship he had with this young person.

On the basis of these findings, the Board has resolved to exercise its disciplinary powers under the Agent Regulations and has determined that Ricky Nixon’s accreditation be revoked and that he not be entitled to reapply for accreditation for a minimum of two years.

In considering any future applications for accreditation, the Board determined that the Report of the Investigator should be taken into account.

This is the first time in its history of regulating player agents that the Board has revoked a person’s accreditation.  The Board does not take such decisions lightly.

Ricky Nixon has been an AFL player agent for over 15 years.  He has been an innovator in the industry and has contributed much to the promotion of player rights and interests throughout this time.  However the Board has found today that Ricky has in recent times made serious errors of judgment which warrant a serious response.

The Agent Accreditation Board cannot go into the specifics of Galbally’s report. On the basis of legal advice, the Board has determined that the report will remain confidential.

Ian Prendergast, Chair, Agent Accreditation Board
March 24, 2011