Sandy Brondello and Lisa Sthalekar inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame

Basketball legend Sandy Brondello and cricket star Lisa Sthalekar have been inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Brondello, who coaches the Australian Opals and the Toronto Tempo, addressed a recent controversy regarding a comment she made toward WNBA player Angel Reese. Brondello had previously been suspended after describing Reese as a “protected species” to referees. While the phrase is commonly used in Australian sports to express frustration over officiating, it was viewed as having derogatory connotations in the United States.

Brondello expressed that she had been “quite stressed for a while” regarding the incident and feared it would damage her professional legacy and character. She stated that she has since adopted a calmer demeanor and sought to show leadership by apologizing and taking ownership of the situation.