Fallen mining magnate Arun Jagatramka has left the board of the Wollongong Hawks, just weeks after saying he would stay with the NBL club he helped save.
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Explaining his departure, Mr Jagatramka told the Mercury it was because he no longer headed the company sponsoring the Hawks.
"I was appointed to the Hawks board as a representative of the major sponsors and having resigned from the company, I thought it fit and proper to resign my nominated position on Hawks board as well," he said.
"It does not mean that I have severed my relationship with Hawks and I remain committed for life to support the Hawks and ensure that they keep playing.
"Words cannot describe the extent of my continued support for the Hawks. It is my personal passion and commitment which no-one can take away from me."
When the Hawks stood on the brink of collapse in 2009, a community campaign led to Mr Jagatramka making a $1 million bank guarantee for the club.
Mr Jagatramka's Gujarat NRE Coking Coal had naming rights for the Hawks since mid-2011.
But after a tumultuous year in which workers were not paid for months, the miner was taken over by Jindal Steel and Power and Mr Jagatramka left the board.
Five weeks ago Mr Jagatramka said he would stay involved with the Hawks.
"I feel we have to work very strongly to keep the Hawks playing," he said in February.
"So yes, I do plan to remain involved with the Hawks, whether they continue to be sponsored [by Gujarat] or not."
Mr Jagatramka also will no longer be on the board of the Illawarra Local Venues Council.
He was appointed to the body when it was created two years ago to run the state-owned sports venues in the Illawarra.
But a spokeswoman for Venues NSW said his term had expired and he would not be back.
"Arun Jagatramka was appointed to the Illawarra Local Venues Council for a period of two years from March 2, 2012," the spokeswoman said.
"His period of appointment has now concluded."
She confirmed each of the other directors - Craig Osborne, Wayne Morris, Glenda Papac and chair Vicki Tiegs - remain on the board.