I didn’t do it!!

As alluded to in the last post, a certain Melbourne based AFL club has had its confidential medical records lost, literally in the gutter, which reveal that two players from the same club had failed drug tests twice, and had both been admitted to the same drug rehab clinic. I know who the two players are, but am not going to say on this forum.

Brendan Gale has come out quite angrily threatening that players will protest the breach of confidentiality by boycoting some Channel Seven events, and he has also harshly criticised the AFL.

But the most laughable event is AFL head hunch Andrew Demetriou who has come out angrily at Channel Seven. He is seriously trying to deflect attention away from the AFL’s own ineptitude in allowing this material to get out. Its like blaming someone for broadcasting something you have done wrong. The AFL have form in this area…..and so I dont buy his denying of AFL’s own responsibility in this area.

6 thoughts on “I didn’t do it!!”

  1. The alleged records were allegedly taken from a drug rehabilitation centre: completely separate from anything the AFL is involved with. I think it’s a bit rich to be blaming the AFL for stolen medical records from a private clinic

  2. No…I dont agree Geoff. I think the AFL is ultimately responsible for those records, and for the procedures that put them there. I think Demetriou is quick to blame, and slow to accept responsibility.
    He has beautifully deflected this off and blamed 7, who were just doing what a news organisation is meant to do, break stories. Now admittedly they could have handled it better…but the story was there because of the AFL and its drugs policy…which is stupid, in my view.

  3. mmm, I think I understand where you’re coming from but I disagree. It’s not a big stretch for the AFL to be able to assume that medical records ought to be kept confidential by any facility they refer players to: whether that is a hospital for treatment of injuries or a drug rehabilitation centre. The medical centre is responsible for the security of their records. And I feel that getting stuck into channel seven for paying someone for access to stolen medical records (which must be against the law) seems to me to be very reasonable.

  4. I understand your point too Geoff….but taking a wider view, the AFL is responsible for the AFL….they employ afda…they formulate drug policy…they are in charge of the AFL, they sell the rights to channel 7. Demetriou should come out and take responsibility for it, and deal with those people that need to be dealt with.

  5. So Mark . . . lets say you had spoken to your elders about a personal matter like a sinful issue you struggled with and it was recorded by the person taking minutes. Someone deviously decides to steal the minutes and discovers your darkest secrets. They then go to the local newspaper and want to spread the latest goss on the local church and the sinful pastor. Whose fault is it? How is it your church’s fault, by not keeping the records under 24hr guard? I understand what you’re saying about people / companies passing blame but sometimes when someone (journalists in particular $$$) want something bad enough, it doesn’t matter what you do to guard the information, they will still get it. Like if someone really wants to break into your home, it doesn’t matter if you have the place like fort knox, they’ll just use a bulldozer.??

  6. In that case Glen, I would hope the elders would take some responsibility for my ‘rehabilitation’ instead of denying their responsibilities by having a go at the ‘someone’ who airs my dirty laundry. The AFL has once again refused to take any responsibility for what is ultimately its responsibility. The AFL has beautifully deflected attention off the real issue, but playing the ‘blame game’ at channel 7. Having said that, Channel 7’s response has been pathetic as well, they too have denied responsibility for what they have done, the today tonight story last night was nothing short of disgraceful.

    I DONT think it is such a bad thing if the players are named…..Now dont get me wrong, it is wrong to publish confidential records, but ‘the truth shall set you free’. None of us wants our dirty secrets aired, but innuendo, false assumptions, helps no one. I have seen it in a church where a Pastor refused to admit what everyone in the church knew, that he was having an affair, and not much good came of it, for anyone.

    Its like Ben Cousins, he needs to come out, say what the story was, and the ‘sting’ will go out of the story, and everyone can get on with it.

    But too the original point, the AFL has not taken responsibility for its issues, at all…..

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