Newspapers appear to have heeded a warning not to publish the transcript of a secret recording made of members of the England football team as they prepared for last week’s international against Egypt.
According to The Times the recording was made by a member of the public and includes private discussions between the England football manager and his squad.
FA solicitors Charles Russell warned editors yesterday in a letter that publication of the recording would breach the Data Protection Act and the Editors’ Code, the Times reports.
It would also be a blatant breach of privacy, unless there it could be shown there was a major public interest defence. This would have to involve the exposure of serious wrongdoing.
According to the Daily Mail the recording is six hours long and includes players joking about sex scandals.
Apparently the recording was made at the team hotel, the upmarket Grove spa hotel in Hertfordshire.
The caution which is apparently being shown with regard to this recording is an example of the seriousness with which UK national newspapers currently take privacy matters.
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