Hancock Prospecting challenges sports stars for airing concerns about sponsors

Having yesterday withdrawn its sponsorship support for Netball Australia after a week of controversy, Hancock Prospecting has released a statement saying that “it (is) unnecessary for sports organisations to be used as the vehicle for social or political causes.”

Released yesterday afternoon, shortly after its announcement of it having ended its support for the Netball Diamonds elite program, the statement criticised sports people for speaking up about their own concerns regarding sustainability of sponsors.

The statement addressed "sports organisations and recent media", advising "Hancock and its Executive Chairman Mrs Rinehart, consider that it is unnecessary for sports organisations to be used as the vehicle for social or political causes.”

The statement went on to outline three reasons why the company, headed by high-profile Executive Chairman Gina Rinehart and the company, collectively felt that such causes had arisen in this case, declaring "firstly, because sport is at its best when it is focused on good and fair competition, with dedicated athletes striving for excellence to achieve their sporting dreams and to represent our country at their very best.

"Secondly, because there are more targeted and genuine ways to progress social or political causes without virtue signalling or for self-publicity.

"For example, the meaningful engagement with local Indigenous communities undertaken by Hancock's Roy Hill Community Foundation in West Australia to support their actual needs."

The third reason provided in the statement was the belief "there are more impactful means to make a beneficial difference".

"For example, Hancock's holistic support for real programs including Hanrine Futures - that are providing a true pathway for Indigenous students through education and into employment where they are guaranteed a job should they wish, at the end of their training.”

Yesterday afternoon the mining company announced it was withdrawing from its partnership with Netball Australia "effective immediately", after Australian Diamonds players raised concerns about the sponsorship.

The cessation of the reported $15 million deal will impact Netball Australia financially following it having accumulated multimillion-dollar losses through the pandemic and reported poor decision making.

Since the issue reached the media last weekend, executives from other sports supported by Hancock Prospecting, including Volleyball Australia, Rowing Australia and Swimming Queensland have spoken out backing the support they receive.

In a climate where sponsorships are often scrutinised for ‘sportswashing’ (the term used to describe the practice of individuals, groups, corporations, or governments using sponsorships and other means to improve reputations), the Diamonds were last weekend understood to have refuse to wear Hancock Prospecting branding on their uniforms over environmental concerns.

While Netball Australia denied there was any dispute with players, it was later suggested that Indigenous netballer Donnell Wallam had raised concerns about the partnership relating to controversial comments made by Rinehart's father and Hancock Prospecting founder Lang Hancock in the 1980s.

In a 1984 television interview, Hancock suggested forcing unemployed indigenous Australians − specifically "the ones that are no good to themselves and who can't accept things, the half-castes" should collect their welfare cheques from a central location … "and when they had gravitated there, I would dope the water up so that they were sterile and would breed themselves out in the future, and that would solve the problem."

Rinehart has never been reported to have distanced herself from her father’s comments.

Click here to read the Hancock Prospecting statement in full.

Image: Gina Rinehard. Credit: Hancock Prospecting/James Radford.