'Any Information Regarding Gurjit Kaur's Medical Condition Cannot Be Published,' Says Delhi High Court

on Sep 20, 2022

On Monday, a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court restrained the publisher and author of the book titled 'Will Power' from publishing any content related to Indian hockey player Gurjit Kaur's medical condition and related material.

The plaintiff, Hockey India player Gurjit Kaur, today challenged the single bench order that refused to stay the publication of a book titled 'Will Power,' which contained confidential information about her medical condition. Sjoerd Marijne, a former coach of the Indian women's hockey team, wrote 'Will Power.'

The Division Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Amit Sharma ordered on Monday that the author and publisher be restrained from disclosing or divulging the plaintiff's medical material. They also stated that as the coach of the national team hockey, the coach/author is clearly and unequivocally bound by the code of conduct, which prohibits them from disclosing or divulging the said information to third parties.

While scheduling the case for December 15, 2022, the court barred Harper Collins Publishers India Pvt Ltd and Marijne/author from publishing the book or any other related matter concerning Kaur's medical condition.

Meanwhile, on September 15, Justice Amit Bansal's single bench refused to stay the publication of a book written by Sjoerd Marijne, former coach of the Indian women's hockey team. The book was supposed to come out on September 21, 2022.

The plaintiff, Gurjit Kaur, a hockey player, claimed that in the book, the author/Sjoerd Marijne revealed certain confidential information that the plaintiff shared in confidence with him. He was also the coach of the Indian hockey team at the time. The allegedly confidential information is about a medical condition that the plaintiff is said to have had.

"There can be no confidentiality or privacy when it comes to a sports personality's medical condition." There are regular news reports about sports celebrities' injuries and medical conditions. The compilation of such articles handed over by the defendant's counsel in court may be mentioned.

If the plaintiff has been playing with this medical condition for many years, it cannot be kept private. According to the manuscript of the book, the plaintiff informed all other teammates of her medical condition, and they all rallied around her, as noted by the court.

There are laudatory references to the plaintiff in the manuscript of the book, stating that despite her medical condition, she has achieved international success. As a result of the foregoing, the plaintiff will suffer no harm as a result of the book's publication. According to the single bench, the balance of convenience requires that no ad interim order be issued preventing the release of the book.