WNBL 2023: Shyla Heal hits out at allegations against her father

Shyla Heal has lashed out at bullying allegations made against her father. The former Sydney Flames guard says she wants to know which players ‘complained’ as you ‘can’t hide the truth forever’.

Shyla Heal has weighed into the legal stoush between her father – four-time time Olympian Shane Heal – and the Sydney Flames, claiming the truth can’t be hidden forever.

It comes as at least one Flames player has been trolled on social media, prompting the club to inform the Integrity Unit and consider police action.

The franchise released a statement on Tuesday, confirming News Corp’s report that multiple players had lodged bullying claims against the Australian basketball legend.

The Flames stated that Heal’s alleged behaviour sparked an internal investigation because there was a “risk to the health and safety of players”.

Shyla, who earlier this month was released by the Flames to join the Townsville Fire, tweeted her father’s statement on Tuesday night, saying: ‘Can’t hide the truth forever’.

Shane and Shyla Heal celebrate Shyla making it into the WNBA Draft for the Chicago Sky's in 2021. Picture: Justin Lloyd

She also retweeted a tweet questioning Flames players amid the bullying allegations.

The tweet said: “Now that Sydney have released a statement (about the worst kept secret in Aus BB) will we get to know which players considered that they were being bullied?

“If you want to play at the highest level and you have thin skin, why are you there?

“All of the Sydney players will be tarred with the same brush’ if they do not tell us who the players were who complained.”

Shyla’s comment follows a strong response from her father Shane after the Flames confirmed bullying allegations against the retired guard.

Shane Heal and the Sydney Flames are likely to face off in court before the end of June after both parties agreed the case should be expedited to hearing.

During a brief appearance in the Federal Court on Wednesday, lawyers for Mr Heal and the Flames said the case should proceed to a final hearing as a matter of priority, with a proposed timeline set to see the estimated five-day trial start in June.

“There’s a strong preference for the matter to move to an urgent expedited hearing,” barrister Paul Moorhouse, acting for the Flames, told the court via video link.

Justice Melissa Perry made orders that all parties and witnesses could give evidence via video link in any preliminary hearings but said it was expected the final hearing would be done in-person.