In a vibrant celebration of diversity and inclusion, the Victorian Netball League will transform the State Netball Centre in Parkville into a rainbow showcase for its annual Pride Round on Wednesday 14 May. The event, supported by RACV, comes as Netball Victoria achieves Gold status on the Pride in Sport Index for the third year running.
Players will take to the court in RACV pride socks and bibs, and the matches will be played with pride balls. The colourful spectacle represents more than just a visual statement — it's the centrepiece of Netball Victoria's comprehensive inclusion strategy that reaches LGBTQ+ participants, First Nations communities and multicultural groups across Victoria.
RACV Head of Partnerships and Events Megan Ballantyne emphasised the importance of the partnership.
"RACV is proud to support Netball Victoria's VNL Pride Round as part of our commitment to making netball accessible and welcoming for all Victorians," Ms Ballantyne said.
"This event has quickly become a highlight of the sporting calendar, demonstrating how inclusive values can be woven into competition at the highest level."
Ballantyne revealed exciting new interactive elements for this year's celebration: "We're introducing an affirmation wall where attendees can share personal messages of pride and support on heart-shaped stickers. There will also be a digital platform where players and supporters can share their pride stories before the event, with these messages featuring prominently in the night's livestream, reaching thousands of viewers across the state."
Setting the gold standard in Australian sport
In a remarkable achievement that places it among Australia's most progressive sporting organisations, Netball Victoria has secured Gold status on the prestigious Pride in Sport Index for the third consecutive year—the only state netball body to reach this benchmark.
This recognition comes from the Pride in Sport Awards, an initiative jointly backed by the Australian Human Rights Commission and Australian Sports Commission. The independently administered benchmarking system has become the definitive measure of LGBTQ+ inclusion within Australian sport, evaluating organisations on their policies, programs, and cultural initiatives.
The PSI is produced by Pride in Sport, a national not-for-profit sporting inclusion program spearheaded by Australia's largest LGBTQ+ health organisation, ACON.
Netball Victoria Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Tanya Gamble said Netball Victoria is a proudly diverse and inclusive organisation, that actively celebrates LGBTQ+ diversity, inclusion and pride within the sport of netball and throughout Victoria.
"Netball Victoria is committed to inclusion and representation regardless of how a participant identifies, and we'll continue to work with our community to ensure netball is a safe place for all," Ms Gamble said.
"We are committed to providing a safe, fun and inclusive environment for all people including those with diverse sexuality and genders. Netball Victoria has a zero tolerance of bullying, harassment or vilification and celebrates diversity of sex, gender identity, gender expression and gender sexual orientation.
"This index allows us to assess and benchmark our progress in the area of inclusion of people with diverse sexualities and genders, in sport across Australia."
Event details
The VNL Pride Round will take place on Wednesday 14 May from 7.00pm at the State Netball Centre, 10 Brens Drive, Parkville. Entry is free for all community members.
