Australian Swimmers Break Their Silence on Gina Rinehart After One Commonwealth Games Rule Kept Them Quiet
Australia’s record-breaking Commonwealth Games campaign ended with a flood of medals. But only after the celebrations were over did several of the nation’s biggest swimming stars finally speak publicly about one figure they had reportedly been unable to acknowledge throughout the Games.
Their messages have now drawn fresh attention to a behind-the-scenes directive that had kept one of Australian sport’s biggest financial supporters out of the spotlight.
A rule that kept one name off the podium
Before the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, mining billionaire Gina Rinehart announced a significant bonus program for Australia’s Dolphins swimming team through Hancock Prospecting.
The incentives included:
- $20,000 for every individual gold medal
- $15,000 for silver
- $10,000 for bronze
- $30,000 for any world record
- Relay medal bonuses shared among team members
Both Olympic and Paralympic swimmers were eligible under the same payment structure, with the bonuses promised to be deposited directly into athletes’ accounts within two weeks of the Games concluding.
Following Australia’s dominant campaign in the pool, Hancock Prospecting confirmed it would distribute $1,272,500 in performance bonuses to members of the Dolphins squad.
However, according to reports, Commonwealth Games Australia instructed swimmers not to publicly thank Rinehart for the incentive payments during the Games because Hancock Prospecting was not an official team sponsor.
Athletes were reportedly free to speak positively about Rinehart herself, but were asked not to publicly reference the financial support while the competition was underway.
Kyle Chalmers finally says thank you
With the Games finished, Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers became one of the first athletes to publicly acknowledge Rinehart’s contribution.
Sharing photos with the mining executive on Instagram, Chalmers wrote:
“Some people change lives without ever stepping onto the podium or competing.”
He described Rinehart as “one of the true Australian greats,” saying her support extends far beyond medal counts.
Chalmers said the bonus program sends an important message that athletes’ years of sacrifice and commitment are genuinely valued.
The father-of-one also admitted the financial backing has practical importance beyond elite sport.
“For me personally, it means I can keep chasing something I’ve dedicated my life to,” he wrote.
“As a husband, a father, and someone balancing the realities of life outside the pool, support like this makes an enormous difference.”
He finished with a direct message of gratitude:
“Mrs Rinehart, thank you for believing in Australian athletes and for investing in our dreams. I’ll never take that support for granted.”
Sam Short points to the team’s success
Four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sam Short, who reportedly earned $80,000 in bonuses through the incentive scheme, echoed Chalmers’ appreciation.
Commenting publicly, Short wrote:
“She is the reason the team is in its best spot ever.”
His remarks quickly attracted attention as more athletes began publicly discussing Rinehart’s contribution after remaining silent throughout the competition.
Elijah Winnington joins the growing chorus
Olympic medallist Elijah Winnington also took to social media once the Games concluded.
“With the Commonwealth Games officially over I’d like to take this opportunity to especially thank our sport’s biggest supporter… Mrs Gina Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting,” he wrote.
Winnington credited Rinehart with making a lasting impact on Australian swimming.
“She has singlehandedly changed the lives of countless Australian swimmers over so many years.”
The bonuses that changed the conversation
Reports suggested several leading Australian swimmers had considered skipping the Commonwealth Games altogether to prioritise the upcoming Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
Rinehart’s incentive program was widely viewed as helping reinforce Australia’s commitment to the Games.
Explaining the initiative before the competition, Rinehart said the bonuses were designed to recognise the enormous effort required to compete at the highest level.
“These bonuses are a way of Australia saying thank you and showing the appreciation our athletes deserve for bringing our country such a sense of pride and achievement,” she said.
A long history of backing Australian sport
Rinehart’s involvement with Australian swimming stretches back more than three decades.
In 2023, it was revealed she had contributed around $60 million across several Australian Olympic programs, including long-term support for the Dolphins.
Her sporting investments have also extended to netball, although that partnership ended in controversy after Indigenous player Donnell Wallam raised concerns about Hancock Prospecting’s sponsorship due to comments made by Rinehart’s late father, Lang Hancock, in 1984.
Despite previous public debate surrounding her sporting investments, Australia’s swimmers have now made it clear that, once the Commonwealth Games concluded, they wanted to publicly acknowledge the role they believe Rinehart has continued to play in helping Australian swimming reach new heights.
