Victorian swimming star Zander Coates appeared in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, representing himself and pleading not guilty to a charge of failing to give way to a cyclist. The collision reportedly occurred on Clarendon Street in South Melbourne on November 21 of the previous year, resulting in injuries to the cyclist.
Coates disputed the allegations, stating, "I dispute that I failed to give way and I dispute the circumstances described by the prosecution." He informed the court that he had not had the opportunity to discuss a potential settlement with the police prosecutor prior to the hearing. The prosecution indicated that the case relied on the injured cyclist's statement and Coates's police interview, noting that Coates possessed additional evidence.
The court heard that the cyclist suffered injuries and reported the incident to the police for the purpose of a Transport Accident Commission (TAC) claim, which subsequently initiated the police investigation. Police did not attend the scene of the alleged incident on the day it occurred. Coates mentioned he had provided his evidence, including photos, to a prosecutor at a previous hearing, who had photographed and scanned it.
The magistrate offered Coates a "sentence indication" to resolve the matter, but he declined, opting to proceed to a contested hearing. Coates, a promising talent who recently competed at the Australian Swimming Trials, represented the Horton Squad at the Dubai Open Swimming Championships earlier this year. He also reached the Olympic trials for the 2021 Tokyo Games.
The matter was adjourned to allow Coates to discuss the case with the prosecution and disclose the evidence on his laptop. A three-hour contested hearing has been scheduled for November 23, where the injured cyclist is expected to present their account of the events.