3AW’s chief Graham Mott has dismissed claims by former 3AW part-timer and Seven Network sports reporter Dylan Howard that he was a victim of AFL suppression.

Howard was sacked from his job as a casual match day reporter at station 3AW after Mott accused him of “shoddy, unprofessional work” and presenting himself as a martyr.

Seven continues to back Howard, whose exclusive story on drugs in sport two weeks ago has rocked the world of sport .

Howard was sacked by 3AW over an inflammatory article he wrote last weekend in the Geelong Advertiser, in which he described himself as “the latest victim of systemic suppression”. He said 3AW presenters had been “ordered to swallow humble pie” after criticising the AFL. He wrote: “The league is a powerful organisation presided over by a powerful man, who is prepared to use that strength to ensure the brand isn’t tarnished.”

Mr Mott believes the claims by Howard in the Geelong newspaper are untrue and that he has initiated recent apologies to AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and AFL operations boss Adrian Anderson because they had been treated harshly on air.

Mott explained the sacking of Howard to the Australian:
” I didn’t want 3AW to have to wear a problem he created on Seven”.