Injunction to stay in place
30/08/2007 3:06 PM
The Victorian Supreme Court has ordered the continuation of an injunction preventing the publication of details regarding drug use at an AFL club.
The AFL and AFL Players Association are seeking to have the injunction made permanent while Channel Seven, which last Friday disclosed the medical records of two players and the club they represent in a television news report, is opposing the injunction along with the Herald and Weekly Times.
Joining the AFL and AFLPA in seeking to extend the injunction was the doctor who has been treating the players named in the Channel Seven report.
After taking submissions from counsel representing the interested parties on Thursday morning, Justice Kim Hargrave reserved his decision, noting that he understood the matter was urgent and that he would deal with it as soon as possible.
AFLPA president Brendon Gale left the hearing at the luncheon adjournment without comment and did not return for the handing down of Justice Hargrave's decision.
But in a statement released later, Gale said the association was disappointed that Channel Seven was persisting with its opposition to the injunction.
"Let's not forget that Channel Seven is seeking to broadcast confidential private medical information obtained in dubious circumstances which are now the subject of a police investigation," said Gale.
"We have sought to resolve the matter through legal and non-legal avenues but at this stage Channel Seven is continuing to seek to publish information which we believe undermines the AFL illicit drugs policy and betrays the trust of all AFL players."
Immediately after the hearing, counsel representing the AFL, David Galbally (pictured above), declined to discuss the proceedings.
"His honour has reserved and we will wait until we get his decision," Mr Galbally said.