Gold Coast Pickleball Association Showdown: A long-running legal fight over a Gold Coast pickleball club ban may soon end, with a court hearing set for Friday. Phil Black, 66, took legal action after he was removed from his local pickleball club and committee. He claims he was treated unfairly and wants a trial to clear his name.
Phil Black says he was forced out of the Gold Coast Pickleball Association committee in 2021. He filed a lawsuit in December 2023 in the Supreme Court, arguing he was removed without a fair process. His case is against the Gold Coast Pickleball Association, the Pickleball Association of Queensland, and Pickleball Australia.
Claims of Mistreatment and Legal Back-and-Forth
In his court claim, Phil Black said a committee member, a wealthy businesswoman, threatened to pull funding for the Currumbin pickleball courts unless he resigned “immediately.” He also claimed he was a victim of “false witness, bullying, lying, extortion, harassment, conflicts of interest (and) denial of natural justice and procedural fairness.”
The three pickleball groups named in the case have denied his claims and have defended the lawsuit strongly. Phil Black has submitted six different versions of his statement of claim over the past year, after his original one was struck out by the court. The court also ordered him to pay legal costs.
Last September, mediation between the sides failed. In February, Judge Frances Williams allowed the pickleball groups to apply to have the case dismissed. Lawyers for the pickleball associations said the case has no strong evidence and is “trivial in nature,” with legal costs already estimated at around $250,000.
Settlement Refused, Hearing Set
In an effort to settle, the Gold Coast Pickleball Association admitted late last year that its decision to ban Phil Black was not valid. The group officially canceled the ban. Still, Phil Black rejected the offer and wants the matter to go to trial.
In court documents, Phil Black explained why he will not settle. He wrote that his reputation had been “totally trashed” and that he “needs a trial to clear (my) name.” He added that he has been “denigrated and vilified” and that “everyone needs to be under oath to establish the facts and the truth.”
He also wrote, “(I) have the courage, the tenacity, the ability and now the support to go all the way.”
“Please don’t dismiss it now. Please don’t turn this plaintiff away. No-one knows how hard it is to get it this far. I don’t want to start again. But I will. I will never stop to get these matters heard and dealt with.” – (Mr. Black)
“It is just too important, and I have no intention of living the rest of my life like I have the last four years.” – (Mr. Black)
Why This Case Matters
This case shows how a local sports disagreement can grow into a major legal issue. It highlights the importance of fairness and following proper rules in sports clubs. The outcome of the hearing could impact how sports groups across Australia handle disputes with their members in the future.
Pickleball, a mix of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, is one of the fastest growing sports worldwide. It has over 9 million players in the United States and about 25,000 in Australia. In Queensland alone, thousands play regularly. Even U.S. basketball star LeBron James owns a professional pickleball team. Many believe pickleball could become an Olympic sport in the future.
News in Brief: Gold Coast Pickleball Association Showdown
Phil Black, 66, is taking the Gold Coast Pickleball Association to court, claiming he was unfairly removed from the committee. After six versions of his claim and $250,000 in legal costs, a judge will decide Friday whether the case will proceed. Black says his reputation depends on it.
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