In brief Sports star’s appeal fails

A top New Zealand sportsman has had his bid for permanent name suppression rejected a fourth time after prosecutors accused him of being involved in a global drug conspiracy — but his identity cannot be revealed yet. He is expected to file an appeal to the Supreme Court. Yesterday the Court of Appeal again denied him permanent suppression but he was given leave to, once again, seek interim suppression to allow him to appeal the latest judgment. He was named during the drug- trafficking trial of Tevita Fangupo, Tevita Kulu and Toni Finau in Auckland last year. He was not charged but was accused by the Crown of being “intimately” linked to the offending, which included importing meth from California. He has strenuously denied the claims.