Maccabi to review handling of sexual assault case
The Board of Maccabi Australia has committed to undertake a formal and independent review of the organisation’s handling of matters relating to the sexual assault of Maccabi members by Shannon Francis.
The scope of the review will examine events from 1999 and 2000 when the offences took place, and more recently from 2011 and 2012 when Shannon Francis was arrested and committed to trial.
The Board’s commitment to an independent review was made on the back of listening to the victims who have expressed their concerns about the Maccabi organisation’s internal processes and actions. The MAI Board treats such concerns with the utmost seriousness and compassion.
The Board has approached respected members of the community who are independent of Maccabi to form the review panel. The intention is to have this panel commence their review as soon as possible with the objective of producing its findings by no later than November 2013 (at which point a public statement will be issued by the independent panel).
The mandate under which the committee will operate is consistent with Maccabi values and that is to ensure that the process is open, transparent and appropriately conducted. The scope of the review is to include:
1. an investigation of the specific issues raised by the victims in this case and
2. provide Maccabi Australia with guidance on how it might handle any such matter in the future.
Shannon Francis was jailed last month for a minimum period of five and a half years for committing sexual acts on underage girls some of whom were Maccabi members. he was a basketball coach.
