Ricky Nixon Vindicated

The teenage girl who ruined the career of AFL player-agent Ricky Nixon now says she made the whole thing up. Kim Duthie said she had been under the influence of drugs and alcohol when she spoke to AFLA Barrister David Galbally QC about her relationship with Nixon but Mr Galbally said "If she'd been under the influence of drugs or alcohol or incoherent in any way, the interview wouldn't have gone ahead." Nixon said he had seen the girl's statement withdrawing her claims and has vowed to sue the AFL Players Association for loss of income and future earnings and who could blame him?

In March this year, Nixon's company, Flying Start, representing 45 AFL players was banned by the AFLPA from acting as player-manager for two years. Today they said they won't change their decision to ban Nixon from managing footballers even though the Chairman of the Board had received a new statement from the teenager retracting her original claims. They claim they did not solely rely on Ms Duthie's statement in its investigation.

In March, Nixon pre-empted dismissal and stood down from his role indefinitely and released a statement "With the understanding and support of family and close friends, I have decided that I will go to a rehabilitation clinic to seek treatment for a substance problem that has impacted on my life and my decision-making, particularly over the last eight weeks" he wrote. The written statement ended with an apology.

I remember the television interview when Ms Duthie said she had sex and shared drugs with Nixon in a hotel room and had a picture of him in his underpants on a bed to prove it. So why has she suddenly changed her story? Someone is telling porkies.