Former AOC chief executive de Jong claimed she had received a call from Tancred, after she had made an official complaint about a board member to the organisation’s President John Coates.

She claimed the board member had accused her of leaking information to the press.

De Jong said Tancred then called her demanding the complaint to be withdrawn before issuing a threat.

"He said, 'Fiona, withdraw the complaint or I will bury you'," de Jong told Fairfax Media in April.

"The nature of his conduct could best be characterised as blackmail and intimidation.

"Over the course of my career I've been exposed to plenty of heated discussions, and poor choice of words or bad language in the workplace, but this went way beyond that.

"It's one thing to take me on, but quite another to involve my family."

Tancred, who stepped aside from his position during the investigation, issued de Jong with an apology on June 1, which the AOC has now published.

“In December last year, I rang Fiona de Jong about an internal matter at the AOC,” Tancred said.

“During the course of our conversation, I spoke to Ms de Jong in an intimidating manner, and made threats to damage her and her reputation by publishing allegations about her.

“I acknowledge that my conduct was hurtful, inappropriate and inconsistent with the values of the AOC.

“I also respect that I caused Ms de Jong considerable distress.

“I wish to record that I have made an unqualified apology to Ms de Jong for my conduct and its impact upon her.”

Tancred had initially denied de Jong’s claim, while the AOC launched an investigation to assess the allegation made.

Susan Crennan and Ian Callinan, two former justices of the High Court of Australia, were among a three-member Independent Committee, which was completed by Greg James.

In the complaint, de Jong alleged that Tancred had behaved in a manner which constituted "bullying" pursuant to clause 2.2 (4) of the AOC Ethical Behaviour By-Law and amounted to disreputable conduct in breach of the By-Law at clause 3.4 (1).

The Committee "severely reprimanded" Tancred, but cleared him of bullying allegation on the completion of the investigation on May 31.

Four further allegations have been reported by Fairfax Media, with three unnamed women reportedly making either informal or formal complaints.

Ryan Wells, who worked for the AOC between 2000 to 2005, has also alleged he was threatened.

Tancred, who denied all allegations made against him, stood aside from his position pending the independent investigations.

The Committee says it will continue investigations into separate complaints which have been made by other persons against Tancred, but without the participation of Crennan who will be unavailable during that time.

No timescale has yet been given for the conclusion of the investigation into the remaining complaints.

The AOC have also committed to an independent review of workplace practices.

De Jong spoke out against the conduct of Tancred in the lead-up to the AOC Presidential election on May 6, when Coates held off the challenge of rival Danielle Roche to be re-elected.

Coates received 58 votes to Roche's 35, extending a reign which stretches back to 1990.

He gained the majority of the 93 votes on offer at the AOC’s Annual General Meeting at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

The International Olympic Committee vice-president had faced the prospect of losing international roles had he been beaten by Roche, a hockey gold medallist from the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.