The Collingwood football club has “categorically denied” suggestions from AFL great Brendan Fevola that chief executive Craig Kelly has secretly departed the Magpies. Fevola made the bombshell claim during a radio segment on Thursday that Kelly had left his role at Collingwood and that “no one knows yet”.

Collingwood’s CEO is at the centre of an ongoing court case after being accused of physical assault and using a number of racial slurs by an ex-club staffer. Former Collingwood head of First Nations strategy Mark Cleaver lodged the allegations against Kelly in the Federal circuit and family court of Australia, with the matter set to be heard on August 27.

Magpies president Jeff Browne has strongly denied the allegations against Kelly and the club has vowed to defend the CEO. But Fevola made the staggering claim on Thursday that Kelly and the Magpies had parted ways “a couple of weeks ago” and that Collingwood were hoping to keep the news “in-house” until their season is over.

“I had a coffee with someone yesterday and they’re a part of the biggest clubs in the AFL and they dropped a little bomb on my table,” Fevola said on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick on Thursday. “Craig Kelly is the CEO (of Collingwood). He has departed the footy club. No one knows yet…

“I think they were trying to hold off until the end of the year, which is (likely) Friday night as their last game. He won’t be at the footy club next year. Gone. That’s a DM… it’s a rumour… that is true. It will be announced probably next week. This happened a couple of weeks ago and they’ve kept it in-house.”

While the Magpies have not officially come out to address the speculation around the club CEO, Herald Sun journalist Glenn McFarlane says Collingwood have vehemently denied suggestions Kelly has left the club. Speaking on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle, McFarlane said Kelly was seen at the club this week as he looks to help shape the club’s football department, following the departure of ex-footy boss Graham Wright.

“All I can say is Collingwood do not know where the rumour started and said it’s not true, they were very strong on that today,” McFarlane said on Thursday night’s program. It comes after former Collingwood footy boss Wright officially departed the club before round 24, following a five-month overseas sabbatical in the United States and Europe.

The 56-year-old wanted a break and actually offered his resignation to the club, but it was instead decided that Wright would take a year off and come back refreshed. His departure comes after Wright helped mastermind Collingwood’s premiership triumph last year following 35-straight years involved in the AFL – first as a player, then in various off-field roles.

Magpies backing CEO Craig Kelly after racism claims

The rumours about Kelly’s departure come as Collingwood finds itself embroiled in another racism controversy, following the 2021 publication of the Do Better report aimed at addressing findings of systemic racism at the club. Magpies president Browne said last month that the club “totally and absolutely” backed CEO Kelly in the wake of the serious allegations filed against him in court.

“From my experience, he’s doing an outstanding job as a CEO of this football club,” Browne said. He has the full support of the board and my full support.” And the Magpies president insisted that his club was not racist and that it had brought in numerous measures to address the findings from the Do Better report.

“We implemented all 18 recommendations from the Do Better report,” Browne said. “We are the only club that opened ourselves up for external investigation. When I came in as president I committed to prosecuting and implementing all of those 18 recommendations.

“Racism and discrimination is a fight that goes on day by day. It never ends. It’s something we’re very conscious of here. But the culture in this place as a result of adopting the recommendations from the Do Better report is vastly improved. It’s a culture where people feel safe, people of diverse backgrounds feel safe and they feel safe to make complaints if they choose.”