Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has donated more than $60m of her private fortune to Australian Olympians since 2012 as netballers who cost themselves a $15m sponsorship of the mining magnate brace for a war of wages.
News Corp has revealed Australia’s richest person, with an estimated worth of $43.5 billion, has been splashing around since Australian swimmers were bombed in the pool at the London Games in 2012 .
Meanwhile, Netball Australia were only able to name a squad for the current World Cup in South Africa after a truce was declared with the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA) over wages.
Netball Australia has infamously cost itself a lucrative $15million sponsorship deal with Rinehart’s Hancock Mining because a player questioned wearing the company’s logo on his uniform.
Aboriginal netballer Donnell Wallam had expressed concern over the wearing of the logo due to comments Rinehart’s late father Lang Hancock made about Aboriginal Australians nearly four decades ago.
Rinehart, pictured with Australian swimming champion Kyle Chalmers, has paid more than $60million to Olympic athletes since 2012
Australian netball player Donnell Wallam, pictured right, expressed concern over wearing the Hancock Mining logo, leading Rinehart to withdraw $15 million in sponsorship.
The Australian netball players are embroiled in a pay dispute and their current contracts will expire on August 31 after the World Cup in South Africa.
Wallam was backed by his teammates and Rinehart pulled the funding, leaving Netball Australia in a financial black hole.
Now Netball Australia and ANPA are embroiled in a civil war over player pay, with the governing body initially threatening not to name a squad for the World Cup.
A truce has been declared as the players face off, but tensions will reignite when the players return home.
Australian Diamonds contracts expire on August 31 and players want a share of the revenue generated by the sport, which Netball Australia cannot currently afford.
Rinehart’s donations were made to a group of athletes, including members of Australia’s swimming, rowing and beach volleyball teams.
She currently contributes to 75 Australian swimmers and 50 rowers.
Rinehart, pictured with Ariarne Titmus and members of the Australian swimming team, has supported a wide range of individual athletes
Rinehart’s sponsorship and support of Australian athletes intensified after the 2012 London Olympics where Australia underperformed, including gold medal hopeful James Magnussen (left)
Rinehart with Rio Olympic swimmer Taylor McKeown, whose younger sister Kaylee competed in Tokyo
Rinehart’s contributions make her the greatest individual benefactor to Australian athletes and she deals directly with them because of her passion for Australian Olympians.
“The tremendous effort and sacrifice these young athletes make to compete at the highest level in the world is truly inspiring,” Rinehart wrote in his News Corp column in 2016.
“The qualities and characteristics that these athletes possess – determination, tenacity, perseverance and drive – make them exceptional role models for Australians.
“It is these qualities that explain why they are great ambassadors for our country and indeed could become the future leaders of Australia.
They must be among the best in the world through hard work and effort. It’s not part of their philosophy to think they have the right to win – they know they should only win medals and respect for their own hard work and effort.
“They are champions competing against the culture of entitlement that so sadly affects our country and its future.”
Rinehart was present at the recent World Aquatics Championships in Japan where Australian swimmers won more gold medals than any other nation.
“Huge and warm congratulations to all of our Australian swimmers for their fantastic efforts in Fukuoka, proudly representing Australia and shining on the world stage,” she said after the event.
“I’m told this is Australia’s best ever international swimming performance.” It’s very exciting to be here with these young role models and patriotic ambassadors.
Australian Olympics legend Dawn Fraser is a stoic Rinehart supporter and fears the netball sponsorship scandal could lead to other athletes losing their funding
Silver medalist Shayna Jack also thanked Rinehart after competing in the women’s 50m freestyle final on day eight of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Australian swimmer Shayna Jack in turn called Rinehart “a generous and supportive person” and thanked her for her support of Australian Olympians.
“More athletes would indeed be retiring before their thirties if it weren’t for Ms Rinehart’s generosity.” Not only does she support us financially, but she shows up,” she said.
Previously, Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser praised Rinehart for her gifts to the sport and criticized Netball Australia for her actions.
‘Mrs G [Rinehart] has done a lot for not only swimming, but she’s taken care of beach volleyball, she’s taken care of women’s rowing and women’s synchronized swimming,” Fraser said.
‘I mean the heavens above – what is it [netball] women do?
‘I do not think so [the players have this story straight] and I don’t know the whole story either, but I really can’t understand it, it’s bad for the sport, it’s bad for the girls she said no to,” she said.
“She could stop her sponsorship with other sports now and I would hate for that to happen to be honest with you.”