Netball stands behind Wallam after star ‘beyond disgusted and hurt’ at racial abuse

Netball’s governing bodies have called out the “disgusting racial abuse directed at our champion player” after Donnell Wallam revealed the latest bile-laden tirade directed her way.

It might seem like a small shift but netball’s united front in the wake of Donnell Wallam’s latest racially-charged hazing should be taken as a sign the sport has turned the corner in its responsibility towards its First Nations cohort.

Ahead of the start of NAIDOC Week on Sunday, Super Netball will mark the second of its First Nations rounds this weekend, with the four teams that did not host a match in round 7, celebrating Indigenous culture, players and place along with some pivotal matches as the competition reaches the pointy end.

Netball Australia (NA) would have preferred talk this week was about the reappointment of its First Nations director, Professor Cheryl Kickett-Tucker to a three-year term, its pilot First Nations coaching course, or the launch of the Black Swans, Australia’s Indigenous representative team.

Donnell Wallam is just the third First Nations player to represent the Diamonds. Photo: Getty Images

However, after Australia’s only Indigenous Diamond opened up about the extent to which she continues to be targeted by misinformed trolls almost two years after the breakdown of the proposed Hancock Prospecting sponsorship of netball, in a social media post on Wednesday night, netball’s poor First Nations record has again been dragged into the spotlight.

Only the third First Nations player to represent the Diamonds, Wallam has paid a high price for standing “Blak, Loud and Proud” - part of the theme of NAIDOC Week 2024 - and celebrating her Indigenous identity.

A fierce natural competitor though, Wallam will not go quietly.

And netball showed this week, it will stand behind its player as a game - responding swiftly to letter writer “Mary” who accused the star goaler of being “manipulated by the radical Aboriginal filth” and “a disgrace to the Noongar Tribe”.

The letter, which included the common, but entirely incorrect assertion that Wallam cost the sport $15 million in sponsorship, as well as an acknowledgement of country that paid respects to the “the British and European elders past and present, who introduced civil society and prosperity to Australia”, left her “beyond disgusted and hurt”.

Plenty would argue Wallam did not receive the support she should have from official channels during the divisive Hancock sponsorship debacle two years ago.

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— Netball Australia (@NetballAust) July 4, 2024

This week though, there was a unified response - from the national body, Netball Queensland, the member organisation that runs Wallam’s Super Netball outfit, and from the Queensland Firebirds team - including support for her calling out the abuse.

“Netball Australia, Netball Queensland (NQ) and the entire netball community who are deeply committed to inclusion and equality stand together with Donnell Wallam to call out the disgusting racial abuse directed at our champion player by a member of the public,” a statement issued by both NA and NQ on Thursday said.

“Donnell is a proud Noongar woman and an ambassador for all First Nations people and our sport. We applaud and admire her strength, her courage and her dignity in the face of such hate.

“Netball Australia and Netball Queensland are committed to First Nations inclusion in our great game. We all have zero tolerance of racism and all forms of personal abuse.

“Netball Australia, the Origin Australian Diamonds, Netball Queensland and the Firebirds are providing Donnell our total support and care.

“Calling out racism in all its forms is a critical step to stopping the abuse.”

Donnell Wallam has opened up about still being the target of trolls on social media. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

A PR response alone won’t fix things.

Speaking in May ahead of the opening First Nations round and launch of the Black Swans, Wallam said it was great to see the league embrace the round and the conversations that could be started from it.

But there was still a way to go.

“Netball’s still on a journey, I guess, to learn more and appreciate our First Nations culture,” she said.

Hopefully, the sport’s actions this week show that journey is progressing.

Disgraceful letter leaves Wallam ‘disgusted and hurt’

Australia’s only Indigenous Diamond has opened up about the extent to which she continues to be targeted by misinformed trolls almost two years after the breakdown of the proposed Hancock Prospecting sponsorship of netball.

In a social media post made on Wednesday night, Queensland Firebirds and Diamonds goaler Donnell Wallam said she was used to being the target of online trolls.

But being sent a letter that accused her of being “manipulated by the radical Aboriginal filth” and “a disgrace to the Noongar Tribe” left her “beyond disgusted and hurt”.

In a week in which Wallam should be celebrating – Super Netball will hold the second of its First Nations rounds this weekend, celebrating the start of NAIDOC Week – she’s again been left to carry the burden of misinformed bile that is continually spewed her way.

Donnell Wallam is still being targeted by misinformed trolls. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Letter writer “Mary”, whose surname Wallam graciously crossed out when posting the letter to Instagram, accused the Australian goaler of costing the Diamonds of $15 million “caused by your radically influenced comments about Gina Rinehart’s father, Lang Hancock”.

“Mr Hancock’s comments about serialisation (sic) of Aboriginals was disgusting and made by one man. However, at the time his daughter was not yet born as you were not yet born,” the letter read.

“You were influenced by the nasty activist Aboriginal clique that hates everything Australia. You fell into their spell and caused such loss of donations to Australia Netball (sic). Hang your head in shame girl, for being manipulated by the radical Aboriginal filth.

“Mrs Rinehart generously donated millions of dollars to Australia Netball (sic) and you in your ignorance, sent it over the cliff. A disgraceful behaviour, not thought out, and brought on by the radical Aboriginal left.”

Mary’s letter, also includes an acknowledgement of country that paid respects to the “the British and European elders past and present, who introduced civil society and prosperity to Australia”.

Gina Rinehart is a major supporter of swimming, and was set to similarly support netball two years ago before the deal broke down. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Wallam, who has faced misinformed trolling and abuse since the breakdown of the proposed sponsorship between Netball Australia (NA) and Hancock Prospecting almost two years ago, is well used to being the target of online hate.

But this was something new.

“As if the hate online wasn’t enough, Mary thought she’d send me a letter. I’m beyond disgusted and hurt but I will never stop advocating for my people,” she said.

“Blak, Loud and Proud. ALWAYS.”

Unfortunately, although perhaps not surprisingly, Mary has most of her facts wrong.

Hancock’s comments were, of course about sterilisation, not serialisation, suggesting in a television interview that appeared in 1984 – the year his daughter and current Hancock Prospecting executive chairman Rinehart turned 30 – that certain First Nations people who had not “assimilated” be pushed into areas where he could “dope the water up so they were sterile and could breed themselves out in future – and that would solve the problem”.

Donnell Wallam should be celebrating, as Super Netball prepares for its second First Nations round. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

When the Hancock Prospecting sponsorship – not a donation as “Mary” suggested – was floated in 2022, Wallam, raised a conscientious objection to wearing the Hancock Prospecting logo on her dress in her maiden series, a stance that was backed by her Diamonds teammates, who also requested they be exempted from wearing the Hancock logo on their dress.

Both Wallam and her teammates eventually agreed to wear the logo for the series against England in 2022 before Hancock stunned NA by reneging on the proposed $15m deal.

The company made it clear though – at the time and subsequently – that Wallam was not the trigger for the breakdown.

It hasn’t stopped the haters, trolls and anonymous keyboard warriors from piling negativity on to Wallam – or netball in general – since.

At least, if the comments on her social media post are any indication, she’s got plenty of supporters in her court as well.

From NA chair Liz Ellis to Australian Netball Players Association president Jo Weston, Queensland University of Technology Professor of Indigenous Health Chelsea Watego, the ABC’s Tony Armstrong and a host of current and former netball players from Silver Ferns international Grace Nweke to former Firebird Beryl Friday, the support for Wallam was immediate.

Originally published as Netball stands behind Wallam after star ‘beyond disgusted and hurt’ at racial abuse