'Such a disgrace!' Schapelle Corby's sister Mercedes slams tennis officials for dumping her bodyguard from his security job at a Brisbane tennis tournament over a photo the Bali drug smuggler shared on Instagram
- Mercedes Corby slammed officials following ordeal at Brisbane International
- Ms Corby took to Instagram after Schapelle's bodyguard was dumped from role
- 'Shame on Australian tennis tournament director,' she said in Instagram post
- Schapelle and bodyguard posed for a photo with tennis star Grigor Dimitrov
- Former policeman John McLeod was stripped of his accreditation on Tuesday
- Mr McLeod, the head of Tora Solutions, claimed his movements were approved
Mercedes Corby has slammed tennis officials for dumping her sister's bodyguard from his security role at the Brisbane International tennis tournament over a social media picture.
Former policeman John McLeod was stripped of his accreditation on Tuesday morning, less than 24 hours after Schapelle Corby shared the photo on social media.
Mr McLeod and Corby had stopped to pose with tennis star Grigor Dimitrov in a restricted area before the Bulgarian's 6-3, 6-4 win over Yoshihito Nishioka on Monday.
Mercedes took to Instagram to call out the tennis tournament director and officials following the ordeal in Brisbane.
'Shame on Australian tennis tournament director,' she said.
'Such a disgrace your blatant discrimination (sic)!!'
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Mercedes Corby (pictured) has slammed tennis officials for dumping her sister Schapelle's bodyguard over a photo at the Brisbane International
Mercedes took to Instagram (pictured) to call out the tennis tournament director and officials following the ordeal in Brisbane on Monday
Mr McLeod (far right) and Corby (second from left) had stopped to pose with tennis star Grigor Dimitrov (third from left) in a restricted area before the Bulgarian's 6-3, 6-4 win over Yoshihito Nishioka on the day
Daily Mail Australia understands Corby was asked to remove the post by tournament officials.
'I have just checked social media and found other photos in the same area's so need to ask the question (sic).. were any other security disciplined Mr Cameron Pearson [Tournament director]?' Mercedes said in her post.
'This would not of been an issue if this wasn't Schapelle and if friend John wasn't a person who does not discriminate and fair!!!! (sic)'
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Mr McLeod was subsequently sacked, putting a dampener on what started out as a fun day out in Brisbane.
'Our 8 year old Nephew loves tennis and our good friend John ... gave him the opportunity to see some of his idols in action at the tennis yesterday [Monday],' Mercedes said.
'Our nephew had the biggest smile as did Schapelle his proud aunty and his mum. Now this bs (sic) news!!'
'I have just checked social media and found other photos in the same area's so need to ask the question.. were any other security disciplined Mr Cameron Pearson??? (Tournament director)' Mercedes said in her post
Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said Mr McLeod had breached conditions of holding an accreditation pass.
'This security guard has been stripped of his accreditation pass and was therefore removed from his duties at the Queensland Tennis Centre,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'Whilst we don't comment on specific security measures, I will say as soon as we were made aware of this breach we acted immediately.
'We are very comfortable with our accreditation terms and conditions as well as our security procedures.'
Corby shared a series of courtside photos on Instagram, but it is understood she was asked to remove the picture with Grigor Dimitrov
Mr McLeod claimed his movements were approved, before accusing tournament organisers of snubbing Corby (pictured together) because of her criminal past
According to tournament accreditation conditions, passes can't be used to gain access to a restricted area of the venue, unless to perform duties authorised by Tennis Australia.
Taking unauthorised photos or recording video footage in the venue is also banned, with the exception of accredited media.
But Mr McLeod, the head of security firm Tora Solutions, claimed his movements were approved, before accusing tournament organisers of snubbing Corby because of her criminal past.
'Tora Solutions has concluded its association with Tennis Queensland over a photograph taken by a former client during a routine, sanctioned and approved escort movement,' Mr McLeod told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.
'We pride ourselves on our high professional standards and on the fair treatment of all persons, irrespective of their background or experiences.
'Though we have stepped down from this role, we wish the Brisbane International the best of luck for a safe and successful tournament moving forward.'
Corby is escorted into a court in Denpasar on the Indonesia's resort island of Bali in 2005
Corby's bodyguard is believed to have been among the key masterminds that kept her undercover when she arrived back in Australia last year
Mr McLeod is believed to have been among the key masterminds that kept Corby undercover last year when she returned to Australia after serving 13 years in a Bali jail for drug smuggling.
The extreme lengths taken by Corby and her security detail began in Bali, with a last- minute change of flights a deliberate effort to avoid the media pack.
While 40 journalists boarded a Virgin Airlines flight from Denpasar to Brisbane in the expectation she would be joining them, the convicted drug mule gave them the slip.
Instead she hopped onto a Malindo Air plane, sitting in business class and wearing a headscarf in an apparent attempt to hide her identity.
Keeping the headscarf over her head as she disembarked the jet, Corby was thought to have then boarded one of the 12 black vehicles that left the airport soon after.
But it later became clear she did not, instead being whisked away to relax and watch the madness about her return unfold on live television.
Since her release from jail, Corby has become a prolific social media using - posting regularly on Instagram
How the Schapelle Corby case unfolded
Schapelle Corby was sentenced to 20 years in prison after customs officer found 4.1kg of high quality marijuana in her boogie board bag
October 8, 2004 - Arrested at Bali airport with 4.1kg of cannabis in bodyboard bag.
January 27, 2005 - Corby's trial begins. She accuses police of ignoring crucial evidence that could prove her innocence.
April 21, 2005 - Prosecutors call for Corby to be jailed for life.
May 27, 2005 - Found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to 20 years' jail.
October 12, 2005 - Bali's High Court reduces her sentence to 15 years on appeal.
January 19, 2006 - Indonesian Supreme Court reinstates original 20-year sentence. Corby's half-brother James Sioeli Kisina faces a Queensland court accused of stealing cash and cannabis.
November 11, 2006 - Release of Corby's book My Story, co-written by former Nine Network producer Kathryn Bonella.
March 27, 2007 - Queensland Court of Appeal freezes profits from Corby's book and family interviews from being spent.
March 28, 2008 - Indonesian Supreme Court rejects Corby's last legal bid to have the decision overturned following a judicial review of the case.
April, 2009 - The Commonwealth seizes $128,000 of profits from My Story, having sought $270,000.
August 9, 2009 - Australian psychiatrist Jonathan Phillips visits Corby in prison and states she is mentally ill, recommending she be transferred to an Australian prison for treatment.
March, 2010 - Lawyers for Corby apply for presidential clemency, saying she is suffering from depression that could endanger her life.
October 14, 2010 - The Kerobokan prison governor completes a report which says she is faking mental illness and citing disobedient and devious behaviour.
August 17, 2011 - The prison governor confirms she has been granted a total of 22 months remission over the preceding five years.
May 22, 2012 - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono orders a five-year reduction in sentence.
December 25, 2013 - Sentence cut by two months as part of a Christmas remission program.
February 10, 2014 - Corby is released on parole.
February 18, 2014 - The Australian Federal Police raid Seven Network offices following rumours of a paid exclusive interview with Corby. The investigation is later dropped.
March 2, 2014 - Mercedes Corby's interview with Seven airs in which she maintains her sister's innocence, leaving Indonesian authorities unimpressed.
April 7, 2014 - Bali Nine drug smuggler Renae Lawrence alleges in a paid interview with Network Ten that Corby admitted her guilt while in Kerobokan prison and faked mental illness to get her sentence shortened.
April 11, 2014 - Indonesia's Directorate General of Corrections confirms it finds no legal grounds to stop Corby's parole after Mercedes' interview.
May 27, 2017 - Corby set to report to correction officials for the last time in Bali before being deported to Australia.
Source: AAP
