Three SA Health staff are under investigation for allegedly accessing Tony Modra's private medical records without authorisation, with another five employees being assessed over whether their access was appropriate.

SA Health said the investigation was triggered by a standard audit and apologised to Modra's family for any distress caused. The agency stated that any staff member found to have accessed information inappropriately may face disciplinary action, including termination of employment (ABC News).

Modra, one of South Australian football's most beloved forwards, suffered serious injuries in a truck crash at Back Valley, near Victor Harbor on the Fleurieu Peninsula, in June 2026. He underwent extensive facial surgery and spent several days in hospital. His wife thanked first responders, who she said "saved his life," in a statement read on Triple M Adelaide. By late June, Modra was reported to be in a stable condition and expected to recover well.

Acting Health Minister Chris Picton told 891 ABC Adelaide the matter was concerning. He noted that the health system tracks every login and every patient case viewed, which allows SA Health to detect and investigate improper access. Picton also reminded staff that people have lost their jobs over this before.

He is right. In 2016, 13 hospital staff were sanctioned after accessing the medical records of Cy Walsh, who was charged with the stabbing murder of his father, Crows coach Phil Walsh. In 2024, a separate SA Health investigation found 18 staff had engaged in misconduct or inappropriately accessed the records of a patient understood to be Charlie Stevens, the late son of SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens.

Opposition spokesperson Ben Hood said the Modra case strengthened the argument for a formal inquiry into patient record privacy breaches across the state's health system.

For Modra's generation of fans, the name still carries weight. He kicked 273 goals in 118 games for Adelaide between 1992 and 1998, then played a further 23 games for Fremantle. His high-flying marks (where a player leaps to catch the ball in contested traffic) made him a crowd favourite at Football Park, and his recovery from the June crash has drawn public concern across the football community.

The investigation remains ongoing.