Malone could not be reached for comment on Wednesday but with less than a fortnight to go until the deadline for the Australian Olympic Committee to submit its full list of athletes for Paris, the case is destined to be heard urgently before the National Sports Tribunal by the end of the week.
Hockey Australia’s selection panel comprises independent chair Rechelle Hawkes, the former Hockeyroos captain and three-time Olympic gold medal winner, as well as fellow gold medal winner Powell and assistant coaches Jeremy Davy and Hugh Pervis.
Malone celebrates scoring a goal against New Zealand in 2021.Credit: Getty Images
According to Hockey Australia’s selection policy, listed on its website, selection considerations are a player’s current form and performance and their past playing record, as well as their physical qualities, technical skills, set play skills and flexibility. Also weighed up is according to policy is team orientation and “psycho-social perspective”.
The NST, established by the federal government as an independent umpire for sports disputes, tends to send decisions back to sporting federations for reconsideration even if it finds in an appellant’s favour.
However, the AOC’s Olympic Team Nomination and Selection By-Law allows for the tribunal to make a selection call itself if referral back to the sport is impractical in the time available, or if the national federation is found to have “had such disregard for proper application of the nomination criteria” with its original decision that a reasonable person would contend that it’s unlikely it would be applied properly a second time around.
Loading
Malone’s Olympic dream is now in the hands of the tribunal, as could be the place of another squad member who would have to make way if she is successful.
A Hockey Australia spokeswoman said on Wednesday the organisation was in the process of nominating teams for the Olympics in the AOC by Friday, as per the nomination policy.
“We’re respecting all of our players’ confidentiality during this nerve-wracking time and keeping their well-being in mind. The AOC will announce the teams in due course, with the date set for Monday, July 1,” the spokeswoman said.
It is not the first time Hockeyroos selections have been the subject of controversy and fiercely contested in the lead-up to an Olympics.
Goalkeeper Rachael Lynch and former captain Georgina Morgan successfully appealed after teammates threatened to strike when the pair were left out of an extended squad ahead of the Tokyo Games. Morgan ultimately missed out when the selections were later re-considered.
None of the current selectors were involved in the initial decision to omit Lynch and Morgan.
Australia won Olympic gold in women’s hockey in 1988, 1996 and 2000 but the Hockeyroos not won a medal since. They crashed out in the quarter-finals against India in Tokyo three years ago.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.