Australian Olympics Committee president John Coates has apologised for his comments in a leaked email, in which he used the term “sheltered workshop” when referring to an employee with cancer.

Mr Coates has told the ABC it was the wrong choice of words.

“Of course, it was the wrong choice of words,” Mr Coates said in a statement.

“I know that because I’ve spent most of my adult life advancing the cause of disabilities and for which the Australian Paralympic Committee extended me its highest award — the Australian Paralympic medal. It’s actually one of the things I’m proudest of.

“Yes, I got the email wrong and apologise.”

His comments have been condemned by Federal Sports Minister Greg Hunt and Australian Paralympic Committee chief executive Lynne Anderson. Mr Hunt has branded Mr Coates’ exchange as not acceptable.

“The language … was inappropriate in the past, it’s completely unacceptable in this day and age,” he said.

“Language which flippantly casts aspersions on those with disability is not appropriate has no place in Australian public or private discourse.”

Paralympic gold medallist and triple j presenter Dylan Alcott said Mr Coates’ comments fed negative stigmas associated with disability.

“A sheltered workshop is where able-bodied people and disabled people work separately but it’s used colloquially to belittle an able-bodied person saying you’re acting like someone with a disability or you can’t do a role,” he said.

“What it says is basically people with disabilities are second-class citizens we cannot do the work of an able-bodied person.”

It comes as AOC battles claims of a toxic culture, and Mr Coates is challenged for his presidency.