Professional netball players are facing an uncertain future. Image credit: Ché Lydia Xyang, Wikimedia Commons
Australia’s netball players have been left without income for nine weeks as the ongoing dispute with Netball Australia continues.
Netball Australia and the Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA) were unable to come to an agreement of a revenue share model back in October.
As a result, 80 professional athletes are facing uncertainty over their future and have claimed to be pushed into “financial duress”.
“I speak to players and have had for the past nine weeks, and I have had players sobbing,” said union boss and former Diamond Kathryn Harby-Williams.
“Players have slept in their car, players have had to move out of their homes and move across country back to families.”
The dispute came to public attention over the weekend.
Netball Australia confirmed that it threatened legal action against Diamonds players who planned to boycott the awards ceremony on Saturday night.
Various Super Netball and Diamonds players took to social media to share a statement.
“The Diamonds are attending the Netball Australia Awards tonight because we are legally obligated to be present,” it read.
“With no agreement on our Collective Player Agreement, SSN players have been unpaid for nearly 8 weeks.”
On Wednesday, Netball Australia made an offer for an 11 per cent pay increase over three years with back pay from October.
“We have listened to the players and their need for financial certainty right now,” said Netball Australia boss Kelly Ryan.
“This offer we have put forward would allow them to be paid immediately, while we continue negotiations with ANPA on building a financial model for the league.”
It is believed that the players unanimously rejected the offer, labelling it “offensive” and a “publicity stunt”.
Sports Minister Anika Wells announced on Thursday that $18 million in federal government funding was no longer set aside for netball.
She said the money needed to be directed into areas where she was confident positive outcomes would happen.
The money will be redirected into a pool for women’s sports in general.
“All of us just want to be able to move forward with what we think is fair and reasonable for our playing group,” said Diamonds defender, Jo Weston, during a press conference.
“We want to feel like we’re respected and listened to.”
The players have allegedly asked for 15 per cent of revenue above forecasts from new sponsors.
Players are unable to be contracted until an agreement is reached, which may impact the 2024 netball season.
