Finally people actually doing something about Dodgy Networks

Those who read my blog regularly (I flatter myself to think that such people exist) will know of my disdain for media bias and un-scrupulous dealing by the media organizations. Wayne Bennett has earn my praise in the past for standing up to the media but as a fair number of teams are owned or part owned by various big media groups (not any more Cowboys) it is very much the exception rather than the rule. Years of wrongly (or not wrongly) speculating about player every movement. Whilst I firmly believe in players being role models I also think they need their own PRIVATE lifes. Now finally the AFL players Association is standing up to channel Seven due to their involvement in player medical records being stolen and then portions of being released on national TV. And so the players have stood up.
AFL PLAYERS Association vice-president Brett Burton has announced a nationwide boycott of Channel Seven following the network’s decision to air information obtained from confidential medical documents.

Players from each of the 16 clubs, with the exception of those contracted to the Seven Network, will not honour any interview requests from the network until they receive a written apology and the network guarantees not to use the information they obtained.

Burton said it was “up to Channel Seven” as to how long the ban lasted and didn’t rule out a player boycott of the network’s Brownlow Medal coverage.

“As far we’re concerned at the moment and going forward, we won’t be giving Channel Seven anything at all,” he said.

Burton said he was “disgusted” with the breach of patient-doctor confidentiality and hoped the public would back what he described as “a strong statement” from the players.

“We’ve discussed what Channel Seven has done and ethically we think it’s very wrong, not only for footballers, but for anyone to buy private medical documents between a doctor and a patient.

“We’re disgusted by the actions of Channel Seven and we’re not just going to sit here and take it. The whole playing group have decided to make a stand and hopefully we get the result we want.”

Burton politely refused to answer any questions from Adelaide-based Seven Network journalists at the media conference and said the breach of trust ran far deeper than issues related to the AFL’s illicit drugs policy.

“I think ethically, this is very, very wrong for anyone in the community not only to want to put the information between a doctor and a patient in the public domain, but to also pay for it. I think it’s disgraceful.”

Burton said the players were being vindicated for refusing to “bury their heads in the sand” on the issue of drugs.

“We’re trying to get on the front foot here and do something that’s right for the football and wider community, and show the way that we don’t believe drugs are right,” he said.

“The players have every right to say, ‘Look, we’re trying to do the right thing here and all we’re getting is grief. This is the second time the confidentiality has been breached, we’re getting pressure from the public and pressure from the media, so we’ll just scrap it’.

“It’s the drug rehabilitation people who suggested the three-strike policy and until they change their minds, we’ll stick with it.”

In further fallout on the issue on Tuesday:

* KANGAROOS forward and AFLPAssociation club delegate Drew Petrie said he would support a boycott of player interviews and attendance at this year's Brownlow Medal count in retribution against the Seven Network.

“Something does need to happen for the breach of trust that the players had," Petrie said.

"If it's (refusals and a boycott) going to make people sit up and realise how seriously we do take this (illicit drugs) policy, then yes.

"I don't question the policy. It's one of the most stringent policies of any sporting code in the world.

"We've copped criticism from politicians who probably aren't fully aware of what's involved and probably made a few harsh comments when there's other sporting codes in this country that have probably got worse drug problems than what the AFL does.”

* COLLINGWOOD player and AFL Players Association executive member Nick Maxwell told The Age newspaper that he and his teammates were "filthy" at Seven's actions.

Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert supported the players' stance.

“The club will fully support the playing group in whatever action they choose to take against Channel Seven in response to the recent leaking of confidential medical reports," Pert said.

* AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou has branded as "abhorrent" the broadcasting by the Seven Network of the medical records of two AFL players.

Demetriou told Southern Cross Broadcasting that the decision by Seven to run the story went against the ethics of patient-doctor confidentiality, which he said were sacrosanct.

“This has nothing to do with the AFL drugs policy, it's got to do with the moral and ethical issues which surround private medical records which everyone would agree that patient and doctor confidentiality is sacrosanct," he said.

He said that over the past two years the AFL has had 28 positive drug tests of players who have been referred to rehabilitation centres for private treatment.

He said stealing medical records "goes to the absolute bottom of the obscene pool".

"We are tackling the drugs issue - we find the use of illicit drugs abhorrent - but what is more abhorrent by a multiple of 50 is that private medical records (are published)."

* Sydney Swans player Tadhg Kennelly said confidentiality was the most important issue for any player.

“I think we’re (the players) doing the right thing. We need to stick together over the issue,” he said.

“It’s obviously our private lives and it’s a big issue. No one has the right to dig into your personal life.

“It’s very disappointing to know that the media, or people in the media, are quite willing to pay money to get into someone’s private life. It’s very irritating from a players’ perspective but it’s not acceptable either.

“At the end of the day, we’re just the same as anyone else. Just because we’ve got a high profile it doesn’t give people the right to delve into your private life.” (www.afl.com.au)

There was great footage as Burton refused to answer a Channel 7 journalist and then answered the exact same question from another journalist. There is nothing better to change your actions whether you be a player, journalist or even a Christian than realizing our actions have consequences.