When Vancouver Whitecaps hired John Furlong to be their new Executive Chair in April, I'm sure they hoped his appointment would lead to extra press coverage and column inches.
They certainly couldn't have expected anything like yesterday's bombshell news of first physical, and then sexual, allegations against Furlong that have dominated the media these last 24 hours.
As fingers are pointed, accusations murmured, sides taken and litigations started, the Whitecaps need to be very careful not to be drawn into the whole mess more than they already are.
Keeping their distance is the key and they didn't do themselves any favours yesterday by first publically offering their support for Furlong and then allowing him to hold his presser in the same building that houses the Caps FO (The Landing in Gastown).
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The latter in particular should have been flagged as a big PR no-no. It had to be a neutral venue to help the Whitecaps achieve some of that much needed distance.
How many of us, if we found ourselves facing such allegations, would get a public announcement of support from our new employer of five months, never mind inviting all the media around to our new workplace to discuss it further?
Some will say that Furlong is a big public face of the Whitecaps (although I would argue that is Bobby Lenarduzzi), so it's different and they had to say something. Well the Caps did also issue a statement later to the media:
<i>"Today, public allegations were made against Whitecaps FC executive chair John Furlong. Earlier this year, we appointed John because of his excellent reputation and his lifelong dedication to growing sport at all levels. In his short time with the club, he’s demonstrated strategic leadership and a full commitment to taking Whitecaps FC to the next level and beyond. Whitecaps FC are doing everything we can to support John through this process.
As this matter will likely proceed before the courts, we will make no further comment."</i>
Now I'm a big advocate of innocent until proven guilty, as I think most of us are. You're not expecting the Caps to come out and disown the guy, but all that was needed was that last sentence. Nothing more. Just don't make a comment publically until after police investigations and any court cases. Don't offer support that may just come back and bite you in the ass.
The Georgia Straight (a free weekly newspaper in Vancouver for anyone unaware) <a href="http://www.straight.com/article-788776/vancouver/furlong-bio-omits-secret-past-burns-lake" target="_blank">broke the story of the allegations</a> in the paper Thursday, but the background was raised in an article by the same author for the blog <a href="http://www.playthegame.org/news/detailed/the-vancouver-olympics-and-john-furlongs-sins-of-omission-5144.html" target="_blank">"Play The Game"</a> in April 2011.
We're not even going to touch all the ins and outs of the allegations. That's for the police and courts to decide upon what happens next, and this is a football blog after all.
So let's look at this from a football standpoint.
Depending on how this all plays out from now, the Caps may have to do some damage limitation. There is that unknown factor of what will happen next.
Whatever it is, and whether the allegations are found to be proven or dismissed, John Furlong's reputation has been tainted and that's hard to shake. You know that even if he is completely exonerated, there will be some that will still whisper. If that happens that is simply devastating to a man, both personally and professionally.
The Province reported this morning that the Whitecaps had written to all of their Club "partners" advising them of the Straight story. There will have been initial surprise, then probably disbelief and then the worries of how their associations with the Caps may see them dragged in to this.
As many news reports have shown Furlong being welcomed to the Caps, the last thing companies want to see is any video of a report of physical abuse featuring their company logo on a sponsors board in the background.
The subsequent investigations of these accusations will take a while, and who knows right now, more allegations may come to light. Due to his role at the Club, rightly or wrongly, the Whitecaps will keep getting mentioned in many of the reports of John Furlong, Executive Chair of Vancouver Whitecaps.
That is not a situation sponsors will be wanting to be associated with for too long.
The Whitecaps may be wise to send Furlong out on a little gardening leave. You know, to give him the time to fight this properly.
This story, and the potential damage to the Caps, sadly all seems a little deja vu to me.
In the late 90's, the Chairman of East Fife, Julian Danskin, a well known and respected local lawyer, businessman and Boys Brigade leader, was blackmailed about allegations of child abuse. He went to the police.
The football club issued statements of support. Danskin vehemently denied the allegations. Many people all said it couldn't be true, but there were rumours in the local community that wouldn't go away.
The police investigated and many months later he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for offences against boys.
East Fife's name was dragged through the mud for months due to the association and their initial backing and support of their Chairman was heavily criticised by the media and opposing fans had a field day. It took a very long time to recover from. Some would argue that they still haven't as a number of fans and sponsors walked away, never to return.
Now obviously there are some similarities and some differences between that incident and the current one affecting the Caps, and we're certainly not passing judgement on how we think this matter will be resolved. From a Whitecaps point of view, you have to hope that nothing is proven and John Furlong fully clears his name.
But there are also so many different issues and questions at stake here (the abuse allegations, the missing years and the 'Summer of 69'), that I feel it is very worthwhile bringing up the problem that not distancing themselves from a situation at the start can eventually go on to cause a football club.
Five months after taking on the role of Whitecaps Executive Chair, perhaps the biggest question I would pose, is just what does John Furlong actually do for the football club, what has he achieved and what is his exact role?
He seems to describe it as <a href="http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/people/john-furlong-executive-chair-vancouver-whitecaps" target="_blank">broad</a>. So vague. So confusing. So Whitecaps.
With a big game coming up at the weekend, a season ticket renewal push in full flow and a playoff spot to tie up, these are the headlines that Vancouver Whitecaps don't want and don't need.
Is there really no such thing as bad publicity? The Caps might be about to find out, as I don't think this story is going to be out of the headlines any time soon.
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