Netball Team Denies Sacking Star Player Because She's Pregnant

Netball legend Romelda Aiken-George has made bombshell claims about her recent departure from the Queensland Firebirds.

The star goal shooter has claimed her contract wasn't renewed by the club due to her pregnancy and it being "too risky" for her to play.

Aiken-George was forced to miss the 2022 Super Netball season after announcing she was pregnant ahead of the campaign.

But as a 14-year veteran with three championships to her name, she was expecting her contract to be renewed and she would return from parental leave 2023.

But to Aiken-George's surprise, a new deal wasn't negotiated – and she has claimed she knows the exact reason why.

“Okay, so a lot of people has been asking if I’ll be playing for the Firebirds next season, the answer is ‘NO’,” she posted on social media.

“And that decision was not made by me, it was by the club. ‘Too risky they say’.

“So I will NOT be in the Firebirds next season.”

The club immediately found itself in the firing line with furious fans taking to social media to have their say on the matter, many current and former players leaping to Aiken-George's defence.

Shortly after the online backlash, the Firebirds released a statement of their own.

"In the face of some still implying that the Firebirds club makes list-management decisions based on anything other than high-performance-related factors, the club unequivocally denies that Romelda Aiken-George was not offered a contract in the 10 because she is pregnant," the club said.

"The Firebirds have developed a strong club culture over many seasons that embraces and supports life decisions of players, and suggestions that the club operates otherwise is not fair on the current and former playing group and management."

It wasn't long before Netball Queensland got involved too with the governing body confirming it was "aware of commentary surrounding Queensland Firebird Romelda Aiken-George and her recent social media post".

The statement added: "The Queensland Firebirds' 2023 playing roster is incomplete, with the club shortly set to name a new head coach, and the remaining three contracted players plus training partners still to be confirmed.

"This senior playing list is determined over months of scrutiny by our list management made up of the CEO, COO, GM of high performance, head coach, coaching staff and head of elite pathways.

"Gretel Bueta, Donnell Wallam and Mia Stower (two Australian Diamonds players and one consistent long-range shooter) developed a strong and proven combination during the 2022 Super Netball season.

"On Saturday night at the club's gala awards event, and alongside other long-standing players also being recognised for their service to the club including Gabi Simpson and former Firebirds Peta Stephens and Laura Geitz, Romelda was honoured for her 15 years' service, and spoke of her love for the club and its people, and indicated that her playing future was yet to be determined."