Damon Hanlin, former Sydney Olympic president and current benefactor member, has issued a defamation concerns notice ahead of the club’s Annual General Meeting, with Sydney Olympic FC circulating the correspondence to members in relation to a series of posts published on a supporter-run Facebook page.

In a statement shared publicly, the club advised members that lawyers from Vincent Young had issued the formal concerns notice under the Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) on Mr Hanlin’s behalf in relation to content published on the “Sydney Olympic Supporters” page.

Multiple posts and serious allegations identified

The correspondence, dated 20 April 2026, relates to a series of posts and comments published between late March and mid-April, forming part of a sustained pattern of publication over several weeks.

Central to the notice is the position that Mr Hanlin is the sole benefactor member under the club’s current constitution, having contributed approximately $4.6 million in funding over the past six years, which the letter states was critical to the club’s survival.

The notice identifies multiple posts, including at least nine publications, and associated comment threads, which are alleged to have conveyed a range of serious imputations concerning Mr Hanlin’s conduct in his role with the club.

While the specific wording is not reproduced, the correspondence states that the material includes allegations suggesting criminal or corrupt behaviour, breaches of duty, and improper use of his position as benefactor member. It also claims the posts portray him as acting against the interests of the club.

The letter further asserts that references to the “benefactor member” within the posts would have been understood by readers as identifying Mr Hanlin, given his position within Sydney Olympic FC.

Administrators, anonymity and platform action

A significant element of the notice relates to the role of page administrators, with the correspondence stating that those responsible for the Facebook page may be liable not only for the original posts but also for comments published or allowed to remain once they are aware of the material.

The notice also raises concerns about the use of anonymous accounts and seeks assistance in identifying individuals responsible for administering and contributing to the page, including those publishing content anonymously.

The correspondence argues that the publications meet the “serious harm” threshold under defamation law, citing the nature of the allegations, the audience of club supporters, and the continued availability of the material online.

It further states that the posts have led to concern among members of the community and raised questions about Mr Hanlin’s reputation and involvement with the club, including within the broader football and professional community.

The legal notice has also been directed to Meta Platforms, seeking action at a platform level in relation to the content and the page itself.

The notice calls for the removal of the identified posts and associated content, action in relation to the page itself, and seeks to identify those responsible for publishing the material.

Governance tensions and AGM backdrop

The posts referenced in the legal notice arise amid ongoing debate among members regarding the club’s governance structure, particularly the role and influence of the “benefactor member” under the current constitution. In the lead-up to the AGM, a member-led steering committee has raised concerns about these arrangements, with discussion increasingly moving onto social media platforms where differing views on the club’s direction have been openly expressed.

The “Sydney Olympic Supporters” Facebook page referenced in the notice was no longer accessible at the time of publication. The page, which has been active for several years and regularly hosted criticism of the club’s leadership, appears to have been taken down following the issuing of the correspondence.

In its statement, Sydney Olympic FC encouraged members to review the correspondence, noting that the matter will be addressed in further detail at the club’s AGM on Tuesday, 21 April.

APIA Leichhardt delivered a statement performance at Lambert Park, powering to a commanding 4–1 victory over Sydney Olympic to reclaim second place on the ladder, with a display full of attacking flair, clinical finishing, and moments of genuine quality.

Despite the final scoreline, it was Olympic who came flying out of the blocks and very nearly stunned the home crowd inside the opening moments. A long ball forward found Marco Arambasic, who brought it down superbly before a slip from Eijin Kishimoto presented him with a golden opportunity one-on-one with Oliver Kalac.

However, the APIA goalkeeper stood tall, producing a crucial early save to deny what would have been a shock opener.

That moment proved pivotal, as APIA gradually took control of proceedings. The opening 20 minutes were largely played in the hosts’ attacking half, though clear-cut chances were initially hard to come by against a disciplined Olympic outfit that showed flashes of promise on the ball.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 23rd minute. Oscar Gonzalez drew contact from Ziggy Gordon near the edge of the area to win a penalty, and Jack Stewart made no mistake from the spot, calmly side-footing his effort past Josip Orlovic to give APIA a deserved lead.

From there, the hosts began to find their rhythm—and their cutting edge. Just seven minutes later, they doubled their advantage with a stunning counter-attacking move. After Thema Muata-Marlow regained possession, Fabian Monge linked play before Stewart showcased quick footwork to create space and release Cameron Fong on the overlap.

What followed was a moment of brilliance. Driving forward from deep, the right-back surged into the box before unleashing a superb strike on his left foot, picking out the bottom corner with precision to score his first goal of the 2026 campaign and leave Orlovic with no chance.

APIA carried that momentum into the second half and effectively put the game beyond doubt in the 57th minute. A high press saw Michael Kouta win possession before Seiya Kambayashi threaded a clever pass through to Gonzalez, who unselfishly squared for Monge to calmly guide the ball into the far corner and make it 3–0.

To their credit, Olympic refused to fade and began to create opportunities of their own. Ben Giason slipped a neat ball through to Yuto Fujita, whose curling effort was well saved by Kalac, while Arambasic was later sent through on goal following a sharp counterattack, only to lift his attempted chip over the crossbar with Kalac once again applying pressure.

Those missed chances proved costly, as APIA remained ruthless in front of goal. The fourth arrived through Gonzalez, who capped off a fine attacking move after Alex Denmead regained possession and Rory Jordan drove at a retreating defence before threading a perfectly weighted pass into the striker’s path. Gonzalez did the rest, hammering a powerful finish into the top corner.

Olympic did manage a late consolation in the 86th minute following a well-worked counterattack. Brooklyn Mallia showed strength and determination to break forward from midfield before his pass found Giorgos Louca, who rounded Kalac and finished neatly to reduce the deficit.

However, the result was never in doubt, as APIA’s attacking quality and efficiency proved decisive across the 90 minutes.

Post-match, APIA head coach Franco Parisi was full of praise for his side’s performance and the brand of football on display.

“Some exciting football, some real sexy football—if you look at some of the moments we had in the final third, it’s very exciting,” he said.

“We had a great crowd today, playing after the women’s game, and those that saw it will definitely be coming back because it was great to watch.”

With this emphatic victory, APIA not only strengthened their position near the top of the table but also sent a clear message about their attacking capabilities and growing momentum as the season progresses while it was yet another dark day for Olympic who still sit in last position on the NPL Men’s NSW competition ladder after eleven rounds.

Source: NPL NSW.