AFL players are calling for an urgent overhaul of data protection practices following a significant breach that compromised sensitive personal information. The breach, which affected Port Adelaide players late last year, exposed the vulnerabilities in the current data management systems. The AFL Players Association (AFLPA) has expressed concerns about the potential for illicit drug test results and psychologist session notes to be leaked online, emphasizing the need for more robust data collection and storage protocols.
Paul Marsh, CEO of AFLPA, stressed that it is not only sensitive personal data that needs protection but also performance data, which can impact players’ contracts. The Australian Academy of Science’s discussion paper in 2022 revealed that AFL clubs collect more data than necessary, posing significant risks to professional athletes. Julia Powles, an associate professor in law and technology, highlighted the inadequacies in the current data handling practices, noting that deals made at the league level often exclude player representatives and fail to meet even the minimum requirements of Australian law.
Wearable technology and other tracking methods have become prevalent, determining the success and failure of AFL careers without providing a complete picture. Powles compared this to judging a journalist’s performance based solely on the number of mouse movements, illustrating the flawed reliance on metrics. Marsh acknowledged the need for the AFLPA to enhance its information management practices and called for comprehensive improvements in data governance across the sector to prevent future breaches and protect confidential information from unauthorized access and misuse.
