- Rosie Malone has broken her silence
- Hockey player missed spot in Paris
- She has expressed her disappointment at the rejection
Rosie Malone says she felt like nothing would ever be good enough in response to her rejection from the Hockeyroos Olympics.
The 114-cap striker was a notable absentee from Katrina Powell’s 16-man squad for this month’s Olympic Games in Paris, not even being included on the list of three emergencies.
Malone was one of five players nominated for the Player of the Year award for the 2023 season.
But she has scored just once in 15 Pro League games this season, with the Hockeyroos struggling to score in an inconsistent season that saw them finish sixth.
The 26-year-old Malone has been a regular for the team since her debut in 2018, scoring twice at the Tokyo Olympics and playing in two World Cups.
Powell said Malone’s non-selection was purely based on his performance and denied there was a cultural problem.
She argued that the selected team was best equipped to end a medal drought that dates back to their third gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Malone appealed the decision to the National Sports Tribunal, which dismissed the case on Friday.
She then indicated that she wanted to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, posting this on social media on Tuesday.
Rosie Malone has broken her silence after her disappointment at the Paris Olympics
The hockey superstar was not selected for the Olympic Games squad this month
She has called on young hockey players to remain ‘fearlessly authentic’
“I saw a girl sitting there feeling like no matter what she did, what she achieved, what she gave back to the sport and to the people around her, for some of them it was never going to be good enough,” she wrote in a message accompanying a video interview she conducted in May.
“I kept my head cool, worked hard and did everything my coaches asked me to do this year. I even adapted my natural game ‘for the good of the team’.”
“If someone tries to change things about you or the way you do things, and your instincts are screaming ‘no’… trust your instincts.
‘Have courage. Stay fearlessly authentic. And remember… the wind blows strongest at the top of the mountain.’
Powell acknowledged the cruelty of the omission and said Monday that Malone’s appeal did not mean the end of her testing career.
“Despite what happened, I really wish my teammates the best of luck at the Games,” Malone said.
‘I believe we can win a medal and I hope they will have a great experience.’
Her comments followed a social media post from all 19 Hockeyroos who are heading to Paris, except reserve Aleisha Power, on Monday.
It demonstrated a commitment to upholding the team’s values and a belief that they had created a supportive environment in which they could cope with the ‘highs and lows’ of the sport.
