John Coates says he is victim of a vindictive campaign to oust him as Australian Olympic Committee president. Before the 6 May vote for the presidency when Coates will be challenged by Olympian Danni Roche, he says the campaign against him is malicious and also rejects claims of bullying in the AOC.

Coates has defended himself and the organisation in a letter to the AOC executive and national sporting organisations, who will vote on the presidency.

“There is clearly a coordinated and sadly vindictive campaign to damage me personally, and to tarnish all that has been achieved at the AOC,” Coates wrote in the letter published by News Corp. “This campaign is as disappointing as it is unfounded.”

Coates’ letter comes amid claims of bullying within the AOC from former staff including ex-chief executive Fiona de Jong. The claims have prompted the AOC to call an executive meeting this week which Coates rejected was a crisis meeting but described as a “sensible discussion”.

Coates said the bullying claims in Fairfax newspapers were defamatory, false and “maliciously” published. De Jong told Fairfax she lodged a formal and confidential complaint about a senior AOC employee but had heard nothing about the matter for four months.

But Coates, in his letter, denied any lack of action. “Specifically regarding the complaint made by Fiona De Jong, I assure you due process has been followed and followed with urgency,” he wrote.

Coates said he had sought legal advice about the Fairfax article. He said wider allegations in media commentary about the election were “disappointing and damaging” to the AOC and the election process.

“In short, I believe the AOC and the election process deserve far better than this,” he wrote. “Which is why I have not, and will not, engage in running media commentary, even though my own reputation has been subjected to clear defamation.”

Coates, who is an International Olympic Committee vice-president, is being challenge for the AOC presidency for the first time in his 27 years in the role.

Roche, an Olympic hockey gold medallist, is running for the position on a platform of change in the organisation. Her platform includes smoothing the currently strained relations between the AOC and the Australian Sports Commission.

And Roche would also forgo any payment for the presidency – Coates’ annual AOC salary is more than $700,000, money the challenger said would be better directed to Olympic sports.