The Delhi High Court has restrained former Indian women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne from publishing or disclosing confidential information about players in his book. Prima facie, the court said, Marijne has breached the confidentiality clause in the Hockey India code of conduct and sanctions by seeking to publish certain confidential information in the book. It was hearing a plea by Hockey India, which sought an injunction and damages from the former coach for breach of its clauses, which the federation said was binding on Marijne.
The cause of action stems from a book titled 'Will Power: The Inside Story of the Incredible Turnaround in Indian Women's Hockey', which was authored by Marijne and to be published by HarperCollins Publishers.
In an interim order on Tuesday, Justice Amit Bansal said a case was made out by reading the highlighted portions of the manuscript of the book and based on the observations by the division bench in an order on September 19.
The judge passed an interim injunction to restrain the defendants from marketing, publishing and disclosing for commercial gain the book, manuscript or any part containing the highlighted portions.
It said the balance of convenience was in favour of Hockey India. The high court, which issued summons to the former coach and publisher of the book, listed the matter for further hearing on November 18.
In its plea, Hockey India said there was a violation by Marijne of Clause 20, which states that the members, volunteers, and staff of Hockey India "shall not disclose information entrusted to them in confidence".
"Disclosure of other information shall not be for personal gain or benefit, nor be undertaken maliciously to damage the reputation of any person or organization," according to the clause.
Earlier, on a plea by a hockey player, the division bench of the high court had restrained Marijne from publishing the book as it was related to the confidential information of the player. PTI SKV HMB
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