Tony McGuinness parts ways with Chris McDermott

Mr Hunt said he hoped the publicity surrounding the allegations involving McGuinness would not harm the McGuinness McDermott Foundation, from which McGuinness resigned on Monday at the request of fellow director and former Crows captain Chris McDermott.

"I think it’s a shame but I think it’s the actions of a person that’s been in there and Chris doesn’t need this on him,'' he said.

"The people there are doing a great job and don’t need this on them."p>

McDermott this morning told 891 ABC Adelaide that McGuinness was in Tanzania, where his wife, television newsreader Georgina McGuinness, is climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with a group of friends to raise money for the McGuinness McDermott Foundation.

McDermott confirmed he had asked McGuinness to resign as a director of the charity on Monday because he was "damaging" its brand.

"This was potentially door shutting, the brand was being damaged beyond repair," he said.

McGuinness has been shrouded in rumours surrounding his personal life in recent months, with Hunt confirming yesterday he had confronted the former AFL club champion and captain over allegations he was having an inappropriate relationship with his wife.

McDermott this morning refused to answer questions on 891 ABC Adelaide about the alleged relationship, saying he would not discuss McGuinness's "private life".

He would only say that the pair had decided it was in the best interests of the McGuinness McDermott Foundation if McGuinness ceased his involvement with the charity, which would be relaunched under a new name.

McDermott yesterday told The Advertiser the breakdown of their business relationship had been tough and had taken a toll on a relationship that stretches back 35 years.

Their involvement with the charity had established the two former Crows captains as two of the highest-profile names in South Australia.

McDermott has spent a lot of time in recent weeks going backwards and forwards with his friend, trying to persuade him to quit as a director of the McGuinness McDermott Foundation, the charity the duo started in 1996 to help kids suffering with cancer.

"Yes (we are still friends)," McDermott said yesterday. "Although the relationship is strained, to say the least.

"We have been mates for 35 years. We would hope to be good friends again, albeit that is not the state of play at the moment."

McDermott is reticent about expanding on the reasons behind the exit of a bloke he has been playing football with since they met at Brighton Oval playing under-10s, but said it was about protecting the reputation of the charity.

"There was a growing and significant damage to the brand and to the foundation given the rumours that were around the place and I had to protect the brand and, to do what was in the best interest of the foundation, I had to put our friendship to one side."

McDermott makes no apology for stating it was his idea that McGuinness leave.

"I encouraged him out," he said. "I am happy to say we discussed it at length on numerous occasions and I certainly encouraged him that it was certainly in the best interests (of the charity)."

McDermott declined to expand on the rumours and would only say: "Tony's personal life is his own and the foundation won't comment and we respect his decision to resign and pursue other interests."

However, former Hells Angel Leo Hunt told The Advertiser last night that he believes McGuinness and his wife had an inappropriate relationship.

He said: "I rang Tony. I said: 'Let's meet at the Marion hotel carpark so we can sort this out like men.' He said: 'Who is this and what is it about?'

"He said he couldn't make it and I said: 'OK, I will be at your house in 20 minutes and we'll sort it out.' He said: 'OK, give me five (minutes) and I'm on my way'.

"He rang the police before we met and I was filling up my gas tank across the road and I watched him and the cops rock up. I walked across the road and he didn't see me. When they all left I called again. I said that if he didn't sort this out man-to-man, I would go public.

"I ended up driving past Tony and a police officer and went back to the restaurant."

Hunt insisted that he was "never looking for (McGuinness) and was never out to get him."

Hunt said he had been to prison for two years and was with the Hells Angels for five years.

"All I've done is put my head down and arse up, had two restaurants and I've created a coffee company at Edwardstown," he said.

No charges were laid as a result of Hunt's alleged bid to meet McGuinness.

McGuinness is believed to have left for overseas yesterday and would not comment further, pointing to the joint press release issued earlier in the day as his final comment on the matter.

"I have tendered my resignation as a Director and the Board of the Foundation (sic), whilst I do so with sadness, it has been a genuine joy and a delight to see the foundation grow in status, and grow its revenues to be in a position to increase its distributions to the Women's and Children's Hospital."

McGuinness married Nine Network newsreader Georgina Thomas in 1999. The new Mrs McGuinness had three children from a previous marriage and a fourth followed after the wedding.

McDermott was yesterday upbeat about the future of the charity, even though three other directors as well as McGuinness resigned from the foundation.

Chairman and high-profile lawyer Greg Griffin, disability advocate and former Glenelg champion David Holst and accountant Michael Michaels, all resigned from the board yesterday.

McDermott said Mr Griffin had quit because the charity would now be expanded and he did not have the time to devote to the cause, while "it was never intended" Mr Holst would remain on the board.

"We have a lot of people who have put their hand up to the part of the new entity," he said.

McDermott said the charity would be relaunched in coming weeks. It is believed it will be called the Little Heroes Foundation. He also said the scope of the charity was likely to be expanded.

Since it started in 1996, the McGuinness McDermott Foundation has raised more than $13 million to help children with cancer.

The vast majority of the money has been spent at the Women's and Children's Hospital and the foundation helped fund MRI machines, play areas and a haematology and oncology centre.

McDermott said there were plans for the charity to extend its support beyond cancer diagnosis to include children and families surviving the disease and children with life-threatening illness.