With the 2022 Winter Olympics beginning in Beijing today, February 4, many Tiger fans have asked – what has been the history of the Richmond Football Club and the Olympics.

A deep dive through the club’s archive has brought to the surface quite a few (and no doubt incomplete) Olympics connections. 

Current AFLW player Tessa Lavey participated in two Olympics Games for the Opals Basketball Team (2016 and 2020).

02:35

'I feel lucky that I can play football and basketball' -Lavey

Tessa Lavey gives us some insight into being a professional athlete across two sporting codes.

Tom Bolger, who represented Australia in wrestling at the 1928 Olympics was the brother of champion backman, and club Hall of Famer Martin Bolger, as the papers liked to remind Tiger fans of the day.

Richmond’s head trainer and masseur of 15 years, Ernie Saunders, accompanied the Australian contingent to the 1936 Berlin Olympics on the RMS Mongolia. He stepped down from his role at Richmond for that year.

Saunders was in high demand in the sporting world by the Australian Cricket Team, and John Marshall who won silver and bronze in swimming at the 1948 Olympics.

Figure 1: May 1936, Part of the Australian contingent on the RMS Mongolia. Ernie Saunders is not pictured.

The 1956 Melbourne Olympics have a very strong Richmond connection.

Prior to the Opening Ceremony on November 22, all the athletics waited on the Punt Road Oval before they marched into to the MCG. Participants arrived at 1.30pm, to begin assembling by 2pm. Between 3.20 and 4.10pm all participants, in formation, marched along a “special race” connecting the ground to the MCG.

Figure 2: Olympic athletes begin gathering on the Punt Road Oval before the 1956 Opening Ceremony.

Working at the Melbourne Olympics was Vern Vivian, the doctor for all gymnastic events held at Festival Hall. He would later become Richmond’s Honorary Medical Officer from 1965-69.

The Games also included a demonstration of Australian Rules Football. Played on December 7, it pitted a VFL/VFA team against a Victorian Amateur Football Association.

The VFL/VFA side included Tiger players Brian Davie (1953-59), Frank Dunin (1953, 1955-59), Ray Allsopp (1955-59), and Vic Naismith (1956-58). The trainer was Tiger Hall of Famer Charlie Callander.

Naismith had actually been training to represent Australia in the javelin, until he injured his shoulder carrying a 150-pound bag of flour while working as a baker. His Olympic football guernsey is held at the club for a future display in the Museum.

Figure 3: The VFL/VFA team at 1956 Olympics. Courtesy of Allsopp family.

Robert Kabbas, who won a silver in weightlifting at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, did so by using Richmond’s Punt Road gymnasium as his training base. The club gave him his own key to the gymnasium. He spent 4 years training there twice a day.

Figure 4: Kabbas shows off his 1984 silver medal with Mark Lee.

Gael Martin, who won a bronze medal in shot put at the 1984 Olympics, also called the Richmond gymnasium her home during that period of training.

Debbie Flintoff-King who famously won the Gold Medal in the 400m Hurdles at Seoul in 1988, is the daughter of Les Flintoff, a former player who become a key recruiter for the club during the success of the 1960s and 1970s.

Shane Perkins, who won Bronze in the individual cycling Men’s Sprint at the 2012 London Olympics, is the grandson of Polly Perkins – Richmond’s 1943 premiership player.

Tamsyn Manou, who ran in the 800m at 3 consecutive Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008), the 400m (2008), and the 4x 400m relay (2000), and who commentated the athletics competition at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with Bruce McAvaney, is the granddaughter of Allen Lewis who played for Richmond in 1944. Her father, Greg Lewis (Allen’s son), also represented Australia at the 1968 Olympics in the 100m and 200m sprints.

Ian Macindoe, club physiotherapist and Life Member, looked after the Australian baseball team for the 1996 Olympics. He passed away in July 2021.

Daniel Sproule, a member of the 1996 and 2000 bronze medal Kookaburras hockey team, is the son of champion Tiger Paul Sproule (1973 and 1974 premiership ).

Tony Ronaldson, a member of our basketball team at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics, is the son of John Ronaldson (1967 and 1969 premiership).

Pole vaulter Dmitri Markov represented Belarus at the 1996 Olympics, and then Australia at the 2000 Olympics. His son, Oleg Markov played for Richmond from 2016-2020.

Stanley Nicholes the noted fitness coach, who guided Herb Elliott prior to the 1960 Rome Olympics, as well as some 17 rowers to Australian titles and Olympic gold medals, also conducted weight training and fitness sessions for Tiger players during the summer months.

John O’Brien who coached the Richmond’s Little League in the 1970s, was Reserves Timekeeper, statsman, and team manager, represented Australia in Water Polo at the 1956 Olympics Games and captained the team at the 1960 Olympics.

Triple jumper Ian Campbell finished in 5th place at the 1980 Moscow Olympics (though many feel he was unfairly fouled, thereby missing a certain gold medal), and 23 years later became the CEO at Richmond.

Ash Barty won a Bronze Medal in the Tennis Mixed Doubles with John Peers at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo (that took place in 2021), after presenting the premiership cup to Damien Hardwick and Trent Cotchin the year earlier at the Gabba.

Long jumper Peter Burge, who came 6th in the 2000 Olympic Games, has been appointed Richmond's Physical Performance Manager since 2012. 

And of course we cannot forget Queen Elizabeth II who opened the 1976 and 2012 Olympic Games, and unfurled Richmond’s 1969 premiership flag, and Princess Anne who was present at the flag unfurling and later became the first member of the Royal Family to ever compete at the Olympics (1976 Olympics in Equestrian).