Former Blues president Luke Sayers issues apology to end high-stakes defamation case with ex-wife

September 11, 2026 — 10:40amFormer Carlton president Luke Sayers has settled his bitter defamation battle with his ex-wife Cate, with the businessman issuing an apology for the extreme hurt and harm he had caused to the mother of his four daughters.The confidential, eleventh-hour agreement staves off potentially explosive court proceedings that could have severely embarrassed the AFL and several of its most senior executives.Cate Sayers outside the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday morning.Jason SouthCate Sayers sued her ex-husband for defamation in the Supreme Court of Victoria, claiming he had falsely blamed her for publishing a photograph of his penis on his X account in January last year. A female executive at one of Carlton’s sponsors was also tagged in the post.On Friday, lawyers for the former couple told the court they had reached a settlement which would end the proceedings.The court heard Sayers apologised unreservedly for the suggestion that his former wife had been responsible for posting the lewd picture.“I acknowledge the extreme hurt and harm to Cate Sayers occasioned by the suggestion that has been circulating that she posted or may have posted an explicit image on my X account. I accept that she did not do this. To the extent that I may have suggested otherwise, I apologise unreservedly to her.”Luke and Cate Sayers at the 2023 Brownlow Medal night, before their split.WireImageIn a statement outside the court, Cate said she acknowledged Luke’s public apology.“This brings to a close a painful and difficult chapter that began with extraordinary claims made about me that were accepted without challenge by powerful institutions and powerful people,” she said.“I commenced these proceedings to establish the truth clearly, and finally, with Luke’s apology today, I feel I have achieved what I set out to do.”Cate said she had been overwhelmed by the support she had received from “so many women and others, including many whose reputations have been treated as expendable”.“I hope today’s outcome gives some strength to you all and to others who may find themselves subjected to circumstances where they too have to stand up and insist that the truth be recognised.“I now intend to move forward with my life with dignity.”She declined to comment on whether the apology from her former husband was accompanied by a monetary settlement.The court date had already been postponed twice by the warring parties as representatives for Luke, who was a former chief executive of PwC, sought to reach a negotiated settlement with Cate to avoid exposure of how he and his advisers, the AFL and Carlton each handled their roles in managing the explicit picture scandal.Cate Sayers speaks outside court on Friday after reaching a settlement with her former husband. Jason SouthCate Sayers had been asking the court for damages for the “significant distress, hurt and embarrassment” caused by the saga.A statutory declaration sworn by Luke was key to him being cleared of wrongdoing by the AFL for the nude photo publication, but then became the basis for his ex-wife’s defamation case.The document declared that Cate’s denials about posting the explicit picture couldn’t be trusted, that she suffered from mental illness and at times refused to take her medication. It also contained an express request that neither the police nor the AFL interview Cate.Cate claimed the allegations against her spread through AFL circles via the “grapevine effect”, sparking widespread gossip within the football community.“Cate has been the subject of substantial discussion and gossip within the AFL community, in particular in Victoria, and also Australia wide,” her statement of claim alleged.“Cate has been shunned and avoided by persons she knew and had relationships with, who are involved with the AFL, Carlton, the game of AFL generally and others who knew Luke and Cate.”The AFL’s integrity unit investigation and an internal process at Carlton both found Sayers was not responsible for posting the photo, that his account had been “compromised” and he had not breached any rules. He stepped down as Carlton’s president shortly after those findings.However, both investigations accepted Luke’s sworn statement on face value and did not investigate its veracity.The role of two of the AFL’s most senior executives - executive general manager of corporate affairs Sharon McCrohan and general counsel Stephen Meade - as well as its integrity unit, which is led by Tony Keane, were expected to come under intense scrutiny in the court.The case had been set to hear the businessman’s arguments to keep material relating to the AFL’s investigation into the scandal secret via legal privilege.Luke was represented in his legal battle with his wife by Arnold Bloch Liebler partner Leon Zwier and Matt Collins, KC.Cate was represented by Rebekah Giles from Giles George and Sue Chrysanthou, SC.Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.From our partners