Consider new AOC leadership: Bertrand

Extending John Coates' 26-year presidency of the Australian Olympic Committee further could put the movement at risk of stagnation, according to Swimming Australia (SA).

SA president John Bertrand says it's time to consider new leadership.

"Increased success in Tokyo (2020 Olympics) is a challenge for us all and if new leadership at the Australian Olympic Committee could help drive this, it should seriously be considered," Bertrand wrote in a News Corp Australia column.

Danielle Roche, an Olympic gold medallist with the Hockeyroos and Australia Sports Commission board member, is mounting a bid to topple Coates by campaigning on a platform of reform.

The 46-year-old is pledging to work for nothing - a stark contrast to Coates' reported $700,000 salary - and says the move underlines her desire to funnel money away from executives and towards the sports and athletes.

Bertrand, an America's Cup sailing legend and two-time Olympian, did not go sao far as to endorse Roche but he suggested to AOC powerbrokers that extending Coates' tenure by another term could be contrary to best practice.

"Although the current chairman has done an outstanding job in the past, his tenure of 26 years, 30 years if he is re-elected, is a very long time," Bertrand wrote.

"Long tenures risk an ingrained culture, less likely to adapt to the necessary change and innovation needed to compete with other nations who have adopted best practice and are raising the bar.

"Global best practice in business and in sport call for tenures no longer than eight years for a director and 12 years maximum in the chair.

"Organisations need new talent, new energy and new ideas to continually improve."

Bertrand says he is willing to work with whoever was elected to the AOC presidency.