The Athletes For Hope Australia Ambassador family is growing with our latest recruit, Opals star and Olympic medalist Rachael Sporn.
A former Australian basketball player and three time Olympian, Rachael is passionate about promoting clean sport.
It was over an incredibly fulfilling 19 years that Rachael Sporn played basketball at the elite level. The most special memories are reserved for her years playing for “The Opals”, the Australian Women’s Basketball Team. Playing 304 games for her country, Rachael is a triple Olympian, winning bronze in Atlanta in 1996, Silver in Sydney in 2000 and Silver in Athens in 2004.
Sporn's sporting record is impeccable.
Sporn played 304 games for the national basketball team, the Opals, including three Olympic Games—two silver medals (2000 and 2004) and a bronze (1996)—and three World Championships (1990, 1994 and 1998).
Sporn played for Adelaide Lightning in Australia's Women's National Basketball League where she was twice league MVP and seven times selected in the WNBL All-Star Five. She heads the all-time points scoring and rebound list for the WNBL.
Sporn is a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.
She was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and the Centenary Medal in 2001.
Rachael Sporn is currently the only Adelaide Lightning player to have her number retired by the team, having begun her stellar career when the club commenced in the 1993 season.
Her #14 singlet hangs on the western wall of the Adelaide Arena alongside the Lightning's 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2008 WNBL championship banners.
“All athletes need to respect the integrity of sport. Succeed because of your dedication to proper training, nutrition and hard work and celebrate and be proud of competing clean.”
Away from basketball, Rachael is very passionate about the not-for-profit sector having held the position of CEO for 6 years with the Australian Melanoma Research Foundation.
Rachael currently works for Sport Integrity Australia (formerly ASADA) as an Education Presenter promoting clean sport and also for the AOC with the Olympics Unleashed program which delivers face-to-face lessons to Primary School students aimed at improving students' ability to set goals, overcome challenges and build self-esteem.
Through her ambassador role with Athletes for Hope Australia, she hopes to amplify her message for clean sport and inspire the next generation of opals stars.
"Rachael's commitment to clean sports aligns with our values, with integrity unpinning everything we do at Athletes for Hope Australia," said Iain Roy. "We are tremendously excited to have such an accomplished sportswoman and business woman as an ambassador to inspire the next generation or athletes with philanthropic causes."
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