Netball has acquired greater than $9m in federal funding in a bid to maintain the game by to the 2026 Commonwealth Video games in regional Victoria.
The federal authorities and Australian Institute of Sport have dedicated $9.4m to Netball Australia and the Diamonds, following a tumultuous 12 months through which Gina Rinehart pulled her $15m sponsorship of the nationwide crew earlier than the state-backed tourism physique Go to Victoria got here to the rescue.
Rinehart tore up her firm Hancock Propsecting’s sponsorship deal in October after Diamonds gamers backed a transfer by their Indigenous teammate Donnell Wallam to oppose racist feedback that had been made by the corporate’s late founder, Lang Hancock.
Netball Australia boss Kelly Ryan mentioned the funding was “vital” for the game, which recorded a lack of $7.2m over the past two monetary years.
“Netball is the cornerstone of ladies’s sport in Australia and we thank the AIS for investing sooner or later success of the Australian Diamonds and our excessive efficiency program,” Ryan mentioned.
“The Diamonds gained gold on the Birmingham Commonwealth Video games and can this 12 months got down to regain the Netball World Cup.”
Commonwealth Video games chief government Craig Phillips mentioned the dedication ensured the Diamonds might deal with the 2026 Video games, with the netball slated to be held in Bendigo.
“Victoria 2026 is a important milestone in Australia’s Excessive Efficiency 2032+ Sport Technique and we welcome this beneficiant funding dedication,” Phillips mentioned.
“For all sports activities, certainty in funding is what gives for acceptable planning and supply forward of competitors on the world stage.
“Our hope is that this daring, early funding continues for all Victoria 2026 program sports activities.”
Thursday’s spherical of funding included a big 59 per cent enhance to funding in bowls, with Bowls Australia to obtain $5.6m in help for each its able-bodied and para-athlete packages.
Squash was additionally a winner, receiving $2.36m after Australia’s eight contenders fell wanting clinching a medal on the 2022 Birmingham Video games.
In 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australians gained two gold and one bronze medal within the sport.
