Shane Heal battles bullying claims in court showdown, claims daughter was ‘manhandled’

Lawyers for Australian basketball nice Shane Heal have stated the court docket will hear proof that his daughter was manhandled by a crew employees member of the Sydney Flames.

Mr Heal is suing the WNBL membership within the Federal Court, looking for penalties and orders stopping his termination.

He fronted the court docket for the start of his five-day trial on Friday, sporting a blue swimsuit.

Sydney Flames claims it launched an investigation earlier this 12 months after gamers approached administration with bullying complaints.

The Flames suspended the 52-year-old whereas it commissioned an unbiased investigation into the allegations, whereas his daughter and star participant Shyla left the membership to hitch rival crew Townsville Fire.

Mr Heal has accused the membership of breaching employment legislation and is looking for orders blocking the membership from sacking him in addition to monetary penalties.

Mr Heal’s barrister Glenn Fredericks opened the trial on Friday morning and advised the court docket his consumer is “well known” on this planet of Australian basketball.

“He’s played for Australia in four Olympic Games and played in the United States in the NBA,” Mr Fredericks advised the court docket.

Since his retirement in 2009 Mr Heal has undertaken numerous teaching and media roles, with Mr Fredericks telling the court docket his “reputation, unsurprisingly, is of some importance to him”.

Mr Fredericks advised the court docket his consumer “exercised workplace rights within the Fair Work Act” together with making complaints about sure people.

“He says following that and as a result of that, for reasons including exercising those rights, adverse action was taken against him,” the court docket was advised.

“That adverse action relates to allegations which were said to have been made about certain players by Mr Heal.”

The court docket was advised Mr Heal was given discover of the complaints, the character of which haven’t but been specified, in January earlier than he obtained a present trigger letter a month later.

But Mr Fredericks argues the membership constructed “a narrative of claims” which weren’t actual.

He additionally advised the court docket there could be proof {that a} criticism had been made by Mr Heal’s daughter when she was “manhandled” by a member of teaching employees.

The court docket was advised the employees member put his palms on Ms Heal’s shoulders and “twisted” her physique whereas “insisting” she heat up with the crew.

“You get an allegation of manhandling and it seems to disappear into the ether to some extent,” Mr Fredericks stated.

“When it suits them (they) can act quickly.”

Mr Heal took to the witness stand round noon, the place he was grilled by counsel for the Sydney Flames, Paul Moorhouse.

Mr Moorhouse questioned whether or not Mr Heal, in his function as coach, had the ultimate say on which gamers have been recruited to the membership.

“I could pick the players that I wanted and it had to be within the financial constraints of what the WBNL salary cap was,” Mr Heal advised the court docket.

However, he conceded he couldn’t “demand” a participant was signed on and selections have been made above him as as to if or not it might go forward.

Mr Heal stated: “I couldn’t demand a player was signed, I could do the necessary work to sign a player”.

In a media launch from the time, the membership has stated “multiple Sydney Flames players separately approached club officials with allegations of bullying” and it offered counselling and assist to gamers through the Australian Basketball Players Association.

Mr Heal has denied any wrongdoing, saying in a press release earlier within the 12 months: “I deny that I have at any stage acted in a manner to risk the health and safety of any person or player.”

He additionally raised questions in regards to the nature and timing of the allegations and what he described as deficiencies within the investigation.

Mr Heal was granted an injunction from being sacked whereas the authorized course of was ongoing.

Witnesses in the course of the trial embrace former Flames assistant coach Shelley Gorman, the present assistant coach William Granger and Mr Heal’s agent, David Wolf.

Witnesses on behalf of the Sydney Flames embrace CEO and majority proprietor Paul Smith, president Victoria Denholm, communications supervisor Julian O‘Brien and a former participant.

The trial continues earlier than Justice John Halley.