Glen Bartlett has concluded his defamation lawsuit against the AFL after reaching an out-of-court settlement with the Melbourne Football Club.
In addition, Bartlett and the Demons issued a joint statement denying any allegations that linked coach Simon Goodwin to illicit drug use.
On Friday, the AFL announced that Bartlett had withdrawn his defamation case against the league, just one day after he ended his legal proceedings against Melbourne. These outcomes follow several weeks of mediation between Bartlett and the club, with high-profile lawyer Leon Zwier playing a central role in the negotiations.
The AFL commended Bartlett for his eight years as Melbourne’s president, a role he held until April 2021.
Bartlett and his partner, Victoria Laspas, expressed satisfaction at having resolved all legal disputes.
“We would like to acknowledge the crucial role (AFL chief executive) Andrew Dillon played in bringing the parties together and achieving a resolution through his leadership, allowing us all to focus on the future,” Bartlett stated.
“I look forward to working with Andrew, his colleagues, and the broader AFL community moving forward.”
The announcements on Thursday involving Bartlett, Melbourne, and Goodwin mark significant progress for the troubled AFL club as it aims to put an end to over a year of challenges both on and off the field.
In 2022, Bartlett launched legal action against members of the Melbourne Demons board over comments related to the end of his presidency.
On Thursday night, the Demons, Bartlett, and Laspas issued a joint statement acknowledging the challenges and stresses of the past three years. The statement noted, “Individual recollections and perspectives can differ, leading to feelings of grievance. All parties recognize that the matter could have been handled differently and are sorry for the hurt caused.”
The board expressed gratitude to Bartlett for his contributions as president, with Bartlett likewise taking pride in the improvements he implemented.
The statement also addressed “serious allegations” concerning Simon Goodwin and alleged social drug use investigated during Bartlett’s presidency, clarifying, “It was found that the allegations were false and had no basis in fact.” It further conveyed deep regret for the pain caused to Goodwin and his family.
“This brings these matters to an end for all time. Simon Goodwin is a highly regarded and respected Demons premiership coach.”
The allegations surfaced publicly following Goodwin’s success in leading Melbourne to their long-awaited 2021 championship.
On-field, the Demons missed the top eight this season after straight-sets exits from the 2022 and ’23 finals series.
Ongoing speculation has swirled about the future of star onballer Clayton Oliver at the club.
The future of fellow midfielder Christian Petracca was also uncertain after his season-ending injuries this year, before he re-committed.
Angus Brayshaw, another key player, retired prematurely before the start of the season due to concussion issues.
Since the end of Melbourne’s season, Bartlett’s successor Kate Roffey and chief executive Gary Pert have resigned.