I was with my junior Eltham boys team and parents, at the final NBL1 round versus the visiting Kilsyth Cobras, when the club emailed us all to advise CEO Richard Irving was standing down for "personal reasons", that there was an "outcome of court proceedings" and asking us to actively suppress discussions about it: "if you hear speculation or discussion amongst participants, families or members of the basketball community, we strongly encourage you to discourage it where possible."

Please sign this petition if you will not be encouraged to discourage such conversations. Among other things, this inappropriate request is rushed copy.

I don't pay for news,  so according to Google below, Irving was arrested in 2024 for attempting to groom what he thought was a 14-year old, but was actually police. Irving was hired by the Wildcats, was allowed to resign shortly before sentencing in June 2026, and members were only informed the same day The Age published its story about Irving's sentencing -- 17 July 2026, at the game! Heck no, friends -- this is wrong.

This is why the entire Eltham Wildcats leadership team, including the president, executive committee, general committee, and finance committee, must immediately resign:

• For allowing Irving to serve in his executive role, be paid from member dues, and resign himself rather than being stood down, long after it was aware of these charges;
• For knowingly or mistakenly placing all children at the club in clear, overt danger;
• For falling far short of the club's vision "to provide an inclusive and safe environment" and failing the Wildcats community it claims to represent;
• For peddling in grossly inappropriate damage control and asking members to participate in its socially and morally corrosive silence;
• For failing to uphold safety standards of the club and of Basketball Australia
• For bringing the club in its entirety into disrepute
• For exposing club families to an ugly cover-up that fails any moral or community standard.

Here are some by-laws you might want to consider or follow up on:

I would like full transparency on when the club found out what, and have that clearly communicated to all members. Perhaps this petition could be submitted as a representation of the local community's strength of feeling and opposition to this disturbing sequence of events. If you are not a Wildcats club member, please voice your support for strong community standards and new leadership at the club, by signing this petition.

Even if you would give the benefit of the doubt to the leadership team and committee members, the club must be seen to be acting in members' interest, as well as actually doing so. The appearance of malfeasance corrodes the club as much as demonstrable malfeasance does. Already members are writing on social media about personal friendships with Mr Irving and how these may have played a role in what is a shameful timeline, whether by ignorance or poor judgment. 

Our children's safety and positive development are the most important reasons we get up each day, work hard when we don't feel like it, and encourage them to join their community via sports like basketball. A message must be sent that Eltham Wildcats families expect better, demand better and will have better representation from club leaders and stewards. 

Personally I feel deeply saddened and frankly sickened to be associated with the club in its current state -- but I know how basketball is a great life teacher, a healer, and a great unifier between people. Please sign the petition and share it, so the club members, families, and wider local community can move on -- once the appropriate pressure for due accountability and redress has been exerted. 

Anyone triggered or upset from reading this, talk to your people, and if you can't,  call Lifeline on 13 11 14.