Sydney - Australian Olympic champion Cathy Freeman is being sued by her ex-fiance for breach of contract after sacking him as her manager before the Sydney Olympics, Australian media reported on Tuesday.
Freeman's ex-fiance Nick Bideau and Peter Jess, directors in the Melbourne International Track Club, took legal action against Freeman for dumping their management company in May even though their contract did not expire until the end of the year.
Lawyers for the track club lodged the writ in the Victorian Supreme Court on Monday after agreeing to delay their action until after the September Olympics to allow the Aboriginal sprinter to concentrate on her Games campaign.
They asked the court to prevent Freeman's new management team from disposing of their joint company assets.
Neither party was available for comment on Tuesday but media reports said Bideau, now the partner of Irish Olympic silver medallist Sonia O'Sullivan, was demanding the right to manage Freeman for a further four years.
Freeman's lawyers were reported to be planning to counter-sue.
Freeman, now married to American sportswear executive Sandy Bodecker, became the face of the Sydney Olympics after lighting the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony and then winning gold in the 400m. - Reuters