REVEALED: Gina Rinehart has tipped more than $60 million for Olympic athletes as netballers who shun the mining tycoon’s wealth prepare for a civil war over wages after the World Cup
Mining tycoon Gina Rinehart has donated more than $60 million of her private wealth to Australian Olympians since 2012 as the netballers who cost themselves a $15 million sponsorship from the mining tycoon prepare for a wage war.
News Corp has revealed that Australia’s richest person with an estimated net worth of $43.5 billion has been splashing the cash since Australian swimmers bombed into the pool at the London 2012 Games.
Meanwhile, Netball Australia could only name a team for the current World Cup in South Africa after a truce was declared with the Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA) over wages.
Netball Australia infamously cost itself a lucrative $15 million sponsorship deal with Rinehart’s Hancock Mining because a player questioned whether she was wearing the company’s logo on her uniform.
Indigenous netballer Donnell Wallam had expressed concern about wearing the logo due to comments made by Rinehart’s late father Lang Hancock about Aboriginal Australians nearly four decades ago.
Rinehart, pictured with Australian swimming champion Kyle Chalmers, has tipped more than $60 million to Olympic athletes since 2012
Australian netball player Donnell Wallam, pictured right, expressed concern about wearing the Hancock Mining logo, which led to Rinehart withdrawing $15 million in sponsorship
The Australian korfball players are embroiled in a wage dispute and their current contract expires on August 31 after the World Cup in South Africa
Wallam was supported by teammates and Rinehart withdrew the funding, leaving Netball Australia in a financial black hole.
Now Netball Australia and the 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 while the players battle, but tensions will flare up again when the players return home.
Australian Diamonds contracts expire on August 31 and players want a share of the sport’s revenue, which Netball Australia is currently unable to afford.
Rinehart’s donations have been made to a range of athletes, including members of Australia’s swimming, rowing and beach volleyball teams.
She currently contributes 75 Australian swimmers and 50 rowers.
Pictured with Ariarne Titmus and members of the Australian swim team, Rinehart has supported a wide range of individual athletes
Rinehart’s sponsorship and support of Aussie athletes increased 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 Australian athletes’ biggest individual benefactor and she deals directly with them because of her passion for Aussie Olympians.
“The great effort and sacrifice these young athletes make to compete at the world’s top level is truly inspiring,” Rinehart wrote in her News Corp column in 2016.
‘The qualities and characteristics these athletes possess – the determination, tenacity, perseverance and drive – make them excellent role models for Australians.
It is these qualities that make it clear why they are great ambassadors for our country and could indeed become future leaders of Australia.
They have become some of the best in the world through their own hard work and effort. It’s not part of their ethos to think they have the right to win – they know they should only earn medals and respect through their own hard work and efforts.
“They are champions who fight against the culture of rights that so sadly affects our country and its future.”
Rinehart was present at the recent World Swimming Championships in Japan, where the Aussie swimmers took home more gold medals than any other country.
“Huge and heartfelt congratulations to all our Aussie swimmers for their fantastic efforts in Fukuoka, proudly representing Australia and shining on the world stage,” she said after the event.
“I was told this is Australia’s best-ever international swimming performance. It is very exciting to be here with these young role models and patriotic ambassadors.”
Aussie Olympic legend Dawn Fraser is a stoic supporter of Rinehart and fears the netball sponsorship scandal could cause other athletes to lose 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 Championship
Australian swimmer Shayna Jack, in turn, called Rinehart a “generous and supportive person” and thanked her for her support of Aussie Olympians.
“More athletes would retire well before their thirties if Mrs. Rinehart wasn’t so generous. She not only supports us financially, but she also shows up,” she said.
Previously, Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser had praised Rinehart for her donations to sport and criticized Netball Australia for their actions.
“Ms. G (Rinehart) has done an awful lot, not just for swimming, but she has also provided beach volleyball, she has provided women’s rowing and women’s synchronized swimming,” Fraser said.
“I mean heaven above – what are these (netball) women doing?”
“I don’t think so (the players have this story clear) 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 those girls she said no to,” she said. said.
“Maybe she’ll stop sponsoring other sports now and I honestly wouldn’t like that to happen.”