Challenger Danni Roche says she's disappointed the Australian Olympic Committee rejected a request to address voters at Saturday's hotly-contested presidential election, a wish the organisation has deemed impractical.
Roche unsuccessfully sought permission to speak at the AOC's annual general meeting in Sydney, where she'll go head to head with longtime incumbent John Coates for the top job.
Four days out from the ballot, the Olympic hockey gold medallist suggested it was unfair she won't be allowed to address the meeting.
"I have asked to present at the AGM," Roche said on Tuesday on ABC Radio National.
"I've asked the Australian Olympic Committee and they've denied that request."
Roche has spent the last six weeks campaigning to sports on a platform of reform and said "they (voters) know me, they know what I stand for".
"But obviously it's disappointing when the incumbent is allowed to speak at that meeting and I've been denied that opportunity," she said.
Coates will give his annual address as president, a routine review of the past year.
Should he make a campaign speech, the AOC said he would be obliged under its constitution to invite Roche to do the same.
The AOC confirmed Roche's request was denied on the grounds it would not be logistically practical to give podium time to all 15 candidates standing for seven board vacancies, two vice-president positions and the presidency.
A CV of each candidate will be circulated to delegates before the meeting.
Roche is preparing for a "very, very close election", one that's been embroiled in an increasingly bitter public spat featuring allegations of bullying and a toxic workplace culture at the AOC.
It prompted Coates last week to hit back at what he saw as "a coordinated and sadly vindictive campaign to damage me personally, and to tarnish all that has been achieved at the AOC".
Roche said she always expected the campaign to be intense given she's the first challenger to Coates' 27-year reign, but admitted it wasn't ideal for such nastiness to be aired in the media.
"I don't think anyone likes to see sport on the front page of the paper for the wrong reasons, and I don't myself," she said.
"Sport should be about athletes and not about administrators, and for the last six weeks it's been way too much about administrators and not athletes."
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