Controversy in Australian sport. At the end of last week, the National Olympic Committee (AOC) announced through its president, John Coates, the signing of a partnership contract with Hancock Prospecting, a giant in the mining and agri-food industry. Owned by billionaire Gina Rinehart, considered one of the richest people in Australia, Hancock Prospecting becomes an official partner of the AOC. It will support Olympic teams through to the Brisbane Games in 2032, including the 2024 Youth Games in Gangwon and 2026 in Dakar, as well as the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands. So far, nothing very unexpected. The mining group was already helping the Australian swimming, rowing and beach volleyball teams. But the deal signed by the national Olympic committee hasn't gone down well with everyone in Australia, especially just a week after Tennis Australia turned its back on oil and gas giant Santos, its sponsor for the past year. In Australia, Hancock Prospecting is regularly singled out as a polluting group, particularly because of its activities in the production of fossil fuels. As for Gina Rinehart, she is seen as a denier of the issue of global warming. Last year, she suggested in a video message to students at her former school that they should be wary of “ propaganda » in the climate debate. Comment from Simon Bradshaw, Head of Research at the Climate Council: “ Just days after Tennis Australia's wise decision to drop Santos as a sponsor, it is disappointing to see the Australian Olympic Committee sign a partnership with Hancock Prospecting. This industrial group has significant interests in coal and is a major polluter. This collaboration with the AOC will further embarrass Australia on the world stage for the next four years. »
