Collingwood Football Club has firmly dismissed a rumor suggesting that their CEO, Craig Kelly, has parted ways with the organization. The rumor was sparked by former AFL star Brendan Fevola, who claimed on Fox FM that Kelly had made a swift exit from his role at the club, allegedly departing under a cloud of secrecy.

Fevola went on to assert that Kelly would not be with Collingwood in the coming year. “He won’t be at the footy club next year. Gone,” Fevola stated on Thursday morning. He added that the announcement regarding Kelly’s departure was expected to be made public in the following week and that the incident had occurred a couple of weeks earlier but was kept under wraps.

However, when reached for comment by 7NEWS.com.au, a Collingwood spokesperson quickly refuted Fevola’s claims, affirming that Kelly remained in his position as CEO. This denial comes amidst a swirl of rumors and allegations, adding another layer to the unfolding drama at Collingwood.

Kelly, a former player and member of Collingwood’s 1990 premiership team, transitioned from a prosperous career in player management to become the club’s CEO in January of last year. During his tenure as an executive, he played a significant role in overseeing the Magpies’ remarkable journey to a premiership victory last season, contributing to one of the most dominant runs in the club’s recent history.

Despite this success, controversy erupted last month when Kelly was accused of racism toward a former employee of Collingwood. The accusations were formally lodged on July 29 in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia by Mark Cleaver, the club’s former head of First Nations strategy. The allegations are serious, with Cleaver being the sole applicant and the Collingwood Football Club the sole respondent in the case.

In response to these accusations, Collingwood’s president, Jeff Browne, expressed strong support for Kelly. Browne stated that the club would stand by its CEO and fight the proceedings in court to reach a definitive judgment. “We’re backing in Craig Kelly and we intend to fight these proceedings and see them through to a judgment,” Browne said at the time, underscoring the club’s commitment to defending its executive leadership.

Fevola further claimed that one of Collingwood’s major sponsors, Emirates, was reconsidering its relationship with the club due to the allegations against Kelly. According to Fevola, an insider from Collingwood’s sponsorship department informed him that there was concern within the sponsor’s ranks about the allegations and that they were contemplating whether to continue their partnership with the club if Kelly remained in his role. “They said the word is that one of Collingwood’s major sponsors is not all that impressed with the allegations being made against the certain colleague of the Collingwood footy club, and is considering whether or not they’ll stand side by side with the Pies if that certain person stays on,” Fevola mentioned earlier this month.

On Thursday, Fevola identified the sponsor as Emirates, adding fuel to the already blazing fire of speculation. “I had a coffee with someone yesterday and they’re a part of one of the biggest clubs in the AFL, and they dropped a little bomb on my table,” he said, alluding to inside information.

Fevola also mentioned that Graham Wright, Collingwood’s football manager, who went on holiday at the beginning of the year, would not be returning to his role. This revelation added to the sense of turmoil within the club, which had previously enjoyed a period of unbroken success, culminating in their recent premiership win.

“This time last year, Collingwood were humming. They were flying, premiership, they win a grand final, everything they touched, turned to gold, they partied, they’re the greatest team, they’ve now equaled Carlton and Essendon at 16 premierships. It was just a fairytale that movies are written about,” Fevola commented, highlighting the drastic shift in the club’s fortunes.

“But geez, have things gone pear (shaped). The football manager is gone, and now the CEO, Craig Kelly, he has departed the footy club, which no one knows yet. I think they were trying to hold off until the end of the year, which is Friday night, their last game,” Fevola continued, suggesting that the club might have been attempting to delay the announcement until the end of the season.

Despite these explosive claims, Collingwood has insisted there is no truth to Fevola’s assertions, maintaining that Craig Kelly is still very much the CEO of the club. The situation remains fluid, with fans and the media keenly watching to see what unfolds next in this ongoing saga.