Gina Rinehart is no stranger to sport, but having a team of athletes ask questions about the money before accepting it is likely a new experience.
Netball Australia is in crisis mode despite declaring Monday's stepping down of chair Marina Go was a scheduled transition and with national team Diamonds players under pressure to support a much-needed sponsorship partnership with mining giant, Hancock Prospecting.
The logo of the company Ms Rinehart has chaired for the past 30 years can be found on the home page of numerous Australian sports bodies ranging from the Australian Olympic Committee to Volleyball Australia, Rowing Australia and at some point, Netball Australia.
Ms Rinehart's $15 million lifeline over the next four years — to a sport that is in around $7 million debt — is in a holding pattern as the Diamonds team support First Nations squad member Donnell Wallam who expressed an objection to wearing a uniform with the Hancock logo on it.
It is not hard to understand why she found it objectionable.
Wallam's parents would have been young adults in 1984 when Lang Hancock, founder of Hancock Prospecting and father of Gina, suggested a plan that would kill off troublesome Indigenous people.
"Those that have been assimilated into society and are earning a good living, and earning wages amongst the civilised areas, that have been accepted into society and accept society and can handle society, I'd leave them well alone," Lang Hancock said.
"The ones who are no good to themselves and can't accept things, the half-castes — and this is where most of the trouble comes — I would dope the water up so that they were sterile and would breed themselves out in future, and that would solve the problem."
Having never distanced herself from those comments Ms Rinehart is now in a position where she could do so, aligning her values with the team she has offered to sponsor.
Volleyball Australia president Craig Carracher, who has enjoyed a long-term professional relationship with Gina Rinehart, took the unusual step of publishing a statement on his sport's website critical of the Diamonds' stance.
In it he said Ms Rinehart deserves accolades and comments from "athletes in leadership positions" raises concerns for all Australian sports enthusiasts.
"Hancock Prospecting has worked closely for almost 10 years with Volleyball Australia and our athletes," he said.
"From humble years to medals at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and World Championships, Mrs Rinehart's sole focus has been on the welfare of athletes and the integrity of our sport, Australia's most gender equal Olympic team sport.
"Recent media comments attributing remarks from athletes in leadership positions from another sport raises frustrations and concerns for all Australian sports enthusiasts and especially within our sport.
"Mrs Rinehart's selfless commitment to women's sport deserves the accolades of our great sporting nation.
"For players and commentators to publicly criticise the business interest of the person who has stepped forward in wanting to genuinely help a sport through its challenges, is surprising."
Netball Australia followed up with its own statement on Tuesday morning praising the efforts of Hancock Prospecting in working with the governing body to "acknowledge and recognise the sensitivities, to further understand the concerns of that squad member and to provide avenues for support".
It admits the situation remains unresolved, but denied reports that the team refused to wear the logo during the first two Tests of the current Constellation Cup series against New Zealand, which Australia trails 2-0.
"Netball Australia did not require the Hancock Prospecting dress to be worn during the Constellation Cup due to additional obligations placed on Netball Australia by the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA)," the statement read.
"Netball Australia believed that it was not in the best interests of the players, the sport or Hancock Prospecting to wear the dress at this time."
A face-to-face meeting with all parties will take place in the coming days, originally called for by the ANPA and agreed to by Netball Australia and the sponsor.
'A sisters-in-arms culture'
Former Diamonds captain and current CEO of the Netball Players Association Kathryn Harby-Williams believes Hancock Prospecting should be proud of being associated with the Diamonds and the stance they have taken.
"I would like to think that what Hancock [Prospecting] has seen here is that they are investing in a sport whereby there is a true set of values and that should make them proud," she said.
Netball Australia has previously had its own values questioned in its failure to be inclusive.
Despite the sporting body's 95-year history, only two First Nations players have represented the Diamonds, with Wallam in line to become the third if she makes her debut as expected in an upcoming series against England. It would also make her the only Indigenous player in almost a quarter of a century.
The Black Diamonds report, commissioned by Netball WA and Shooting Stars, found serious systemic issues were holding back Indigenous netballers.
Wallam's selection to the Diamonds squad after success with the Firebirds in the Super Netball competition was seen as a breakthrough.
"A lot of it is systematic and unconscious on the part of the people perpetrating it, recreating these systems that disempower Aboriginal people," said the author of the report Dr Rose Whitau at its release in April.
Harby-Williams said "the Diamonds have a sisters-in-arms culture".
"Values are very important to them and I just want to make it clear here that they don't want this deal [with Hancock] to fall over.
"They are simply asking for a compromise so that for those three games Donnell Wallam could run on without the logo, and then we made a commitment to sit with all parties – with Hancock, Netball Australia, our First Nations advisory committee — and work through this sensitive issue to reach an outcome that satisfies all parties.
"The players certainly have not turned their back on the $15 million as is being reported.
"First and foremost you've got to be really proud of Donnell and the stand she is making, she is very connected to her people, she has a strong set of values.
"She was very upset when she heard about the partnership so she has found a way to hopefully get an exemption because she has a conscientious objection, but to her surprise her teammates stood up side-by-side with her to say 'we are one, these are the values that have been instilled in us as Diamonds and we're going to support you'."
There needs to be a pause according to Harby-Williams, while the athletes fulfil their representative duties for Australia.
"You would hope there can be a compromise with those players in the England game and then a commitment from everybody to sit down in good faith and work towards a resolution," she said.
"I'm not sure where discussions are at this point in time with Netball Australia and Hancock but hopefully, we can reach a resolution, to get to a point where we can all come to an agreement down the track where all parties are satisfied."
The negotiating skills of new Netball Australia chair Wendy Archer and CEO Kelly Ryan will be tested in the coming days.
Other player associations representing athletes from sports also sponsored by Hancock Prospecting are likely watching on.
