AFL boss Gillon McLachlan does not believe he received special treatment after lobbying Peter Dutton to stop the deportation of a French au pair.
Mr McLachlan insists his only role in the 2015 incident was to forward on to the then-immigration minister's office an email from his cousin.
"All I was doing was actually trying to help facilitate the contact, not make a representation," he told 3AW radio on Friday.
"I feel it was reasonable to have done so, others can make their assessments."
Alexandra Deuwel was detained at Adelaide airport in October 2015 after admitting she intended to work in breach of her tourist visa for grazier Callum MacLachlan, who is related to the AFL boss.
Leaked emails show Mr MacLachlan contacted Gil McLachlan, who directed an AFL staffer to forward an email from his cousin on to Mr Dutton's office.
Mr Dutton then stepped in, overruling the advice of senior border security officers, and used his discretionary powers to let the young woman stay.
Mr McLachlan denies he got special treatment because of his public profile.
"That's a question for someone else but I don't think so," he told 3AW.
"I think this has just been treated on its merits, as the minister said."
However, Mr McLachlan acknowledges there is a waft of "mates helping mates" surrounding the incident.
"I can see that in the way its playing out because of the political context," he said.
"I didn't interfere in any way, I had no contact with people who forwarded on his email. I was facilitating someone who was wanting to ask a question."
Mr McLachlan said he had never met the French au pair at the centre of the controversy.
The AFL boss said he didn't even know Mr Dutton that well.
"Not that well, I mean, I certainly know him," Mr McLachlan said.
"I would say I know him as a minister in a government which we deal with like we deal with many governments all the time."
Mr McLachlan says he is not embarrassed by the high-profile incident.
"No, I regret that it's so public and such an issue," he said.
"But I acted to help someone who asked for assistance, I forwarded (the email) on, and I'm accountable to that."
Asked if he would do it again, Mr McLachlan said: "I would always help someone if I thought it was fair and appropriate if they asked for help."
"You've got to consider each case on its merits."
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