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Lovett sacked by Saints

By Mr Dandalooa

The Saints have terminated the contract of alleged rapist Andrew Lovett in what has been described as a horror start to the season for 2009’s runners-up.

South Melbourne Criminal Investigation Unit detectives yesterday charged the 27-year-old on summons, which means he was not arrested or placed in custody.

Lovett will appear in Melbourne Magistrate’s Court on February 17 to face one count of rape.

“During Andrew’s short period of employment with St Kilda, he engaged in a series of acts and omissions in breach of his employment contract, entitling the club to regard his employment as at an end,” the club said in a statement.

“The St Kilda Football Club has relied on specific clauses within Andrew Lovett’s Standard Playing Contract and the AFL Players Code of Conduct, to permit termination of contract for breach of such clauses.

“Following Andrew’s previous arrest in November 2009, a recent Victoria Police investigation and the subsequent rape charge brought against Andrew, the club formed the view that Andrew’s conduct had brought the Saints into disrepute under his Standard Playing Contract, which entitled the club to terminate his employment. 

“The club would like to emphasise that all people charged with a criminal offence are entitled to the presumption of innocence.

“The Saints’ decision is not based on whether or not Andrew Lovett is innocent or guilty of the charge. That was not part of the club’s decision making process and is for the court to decide.”

Lovett’s charge relates to an incident on December 24 when a woman accused the midfielder of sexual assault against her, which is alleged to have happened while she was asleep.

Police began investigating Lovett since the woman made the accusation, which was alleged to have occurred at a Port Melbourne apartment.

Today, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said the start to season 2010 could have been better.

“Undeniably this has been a negative start,” he said.

The Saints traded away their first-round draft pick in October 2009 to recruit Lovett from Essendon.

St Kilda CEO Michael Nettlefold said Lovett failed to comply with the club’s standards of expected behavioural conduct, allowing the club to terminate his contract, although he is presumed innocent.

“These failures related to his training commitments and a failure to contact club officials in a situation where he should have done so,” he said.

“We simply could not ignore such breaches. Nor could we ignore the damage being done to St Kilda’s reputation and decided unanimously as a club to terminate Andrew Lovett’s employment with the Saints.

“This is undoubtedly a difficult time for all concerned, most particularly Andrew and the woman who brought the complaint to Victoria Police.”

FootyGoss understands St Kilda has kept the AFL fully briefed from the outset of the matter and has worked cooperatively with Victoria Police. 

Lyon said while it’s easy to look back in hindsight, recruiting Lovett had not been a positive outcome.

But he said the boys were resilient and mentally tough and would bounce back.