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Diamonds defender Jo Weston broke down in tears as players went public with explosive claims against Netball Australia, including that the governing body was responsible for the collapse of the multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal with Hancock Prospecting.
The players called a press conference in Melbourne on Thursday, less than a day after rejecting Netball Australia’s latest pay offer.
Jo Weston in action for the Melbourne Vixens earlier this year.Credit: Getty Images
The interim offer, which netball great Liz Ellis described as offensive, included an 11 per cent pay increase and back pay from October 1 but would have meant the revenue share issues that are the sticking point in negotiations would have been tabled for a later date.
It has been a tumultuous 18 months for netball in Australia. Late last year, Hancock Prospecting pulled a four-year, $15 million sponsorship deal, even though Indigenous player Donnell Wallam had agreed to wear the company’s logo on her dress after initially airing concerns over comments made by the late Lang Hancock in 1984.
“Players absolutely did not turn their back on this sponsorship as is a popular misconception,” the statement from the union read on Thursday.
Among the 21 resolutions unanimously supported by Australia’s netballers, the group said it had grown frustrated with Netball Australia for: “Reneging on an agreement between NA and ANPA chairs for the Diamonds to wear the Hancock Prospecting logo versus NZ and not versus England and a commitment by both parties to work with Hancock to ensure the sport did not lose a partner in the game”.
Netball Australia has been contacted for comment.
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