Article by Matt Bell courtesy of the Weekend Australian.
Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting will sponsor the Australian Olympic team in a wide-reaching partnership struck with the Australian Olympic Committee.
The partnership encompasses multiple winter and summer Games as well as the Youth Olympics and Pacific Games.
The agreement will see Hancock Prospecting sponsor the Australian team competing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the Paris 2024 summer Games and the Milan-Cortina winter Games in 2026.
The deal follows on from Mrs Rinehart’s long-running partnership with Swimming Australia. Her company has also sponsored artistic swimming, rowing and volleyball for many years.
AOC president John Coates said the partnership would deliver significant benefits. “This is a major commitment to Australian sport,” he said. “We welcome and thank Mrs Gina Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting for this investment. On the eve of farewelling our team to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, the timing is perfect.” Mrs Rinehart’s sponsorship comes after she was awarded the title of Officer of the order of Australia in this week’s Australia Day honours for her services to the mining sector, to the community through philanthropic initiatives and to sport.
She said Hancock Prospecting was honoured to take the next step of supporting Australian athletes and become an official AOC partner in the run up to the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
