Uploaded October 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
This event was hosted by the Multicultural Women in Sport organisation.
Our distinguished panel of guests provided their perspectives on sports diplomacy initiatives between Australia and India, followed by a panel discussion and a robust audience question and answer session.
Panelists:
Simon Taufel – Simon Taufel, is an Australian cricket umpire who is a former member of the ICC Elite umpires panel. He won a record five consecutive ICC Umpire of the Year awards between 2004 and 2008, and is generally considered to be one of the best umpires in the world. He officiated in 74 Test matches and 174 One Day Internationals between 1999 and 2012. Taufel is the youngest person to have received the ICC's Bronze Bails Award for umpiring 100 ODIs. He has officiated in three ICC Cricket World Cups, including being the first and only Australian to officiate a Final (in 2011). After leaving active international umpiring he became the first ICC Umpire Performance and Training Manager. During these four years in the role, he created and implemented cricket umpiring’s first competency based accreditation program. He survived the Lahore terrorist attack in 2009 on the Sri Lankan team and match official’s busses. He is a father of three wonderful children, husband to Helen and continues to serve the game and local community being Chairperson of the Highlands Cricket Association, Patron to the Bowral Cricket Club and Vice President of the local PCYC.
Lisa Sthalekar – An all-rounder who retired from International Cricket in 2013, Lisa made her debut for Australia in 2001 and has been part of 4 successful World Cup victories with the last one being held in India, 2013. During her time with the Australian team she was vice-captain from 2006 – 2008 and had the privilege for a few matches captaining her country. Lisa is the first player in women’s cricket history to have scored over 1000 runs and taken 100 wickets. Off the field, Lisa is still heavily involved in cricket, as a commentator around the world, plus one of the Channel 7’s commentary crew. Plus holds a number of positions as an Independent Director on the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) board, Board member of the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) board, a member of the ICC Women’s Committee as the Players Representative and just recently made a Council member for the Sports Advisory Diplomacy Council.
Brad Rowse – Brad Rowse has been a central figure in Melbourne City FC’s leadership since the Club was founded as Melbourne Heart in 2010. Brad joined the Club in 2009 as Director of Commercial and Operations and has played an integral role in transforming the Club from a start-up business into a successful and sustainable organisation and anchor club of City Football Group (CFG). Since taking on the CEO role in 2018 Brad has helped take the Club to two back-to-back grand finals and winning both the A-League Premiers Plate and Premiership title in the 20/21 season. This was also on the back of the most successful woman’s team in W-League history. Melbourne City is now known for their attacking, entertaining style of football plus their emphasis on developing junior talent through the City Football Academy. Before joining Melbourne City in 2009, Brad held senior Commercial and Marketing roles in the Australian Football League (AFL) with both Geelong and Melbourne Football Clubs.
Harini Rana – Harini has been selected to represent India among 40 girls from 30 countries by the International Cricket Council for future leaders’ Programme. She was also the Indian delegate for the Victorian Government Global Business Summit for Women in Sport. She was invited by Vital Voices, Foundation by Hillary Clinton for sport mentorship program and her journey has been featured in Herald Sun, ABC, Forbes, Hindustan Times, Times of India, New Indian Express, Navbharat Times, Divya Bhaskar along with other mainstream newspapers, magazines, channels in India and overseas.
This event was moderated by Molina Asthana, Principal, Swarup Asthana Lawyers and Business Advisors and Founder of Multicultural Women in Sport. Molina is a commercial lawyer with her own practice and is currently the Vice President of the Law Institute of Victoria. She is a Commissioner for the AFL South East Commission, a director on the board of Gymnastics Victoria and a member of the Football Federation of Victoria Tribunal. She is the founder of the organisation Multicultural Women in Sport which aims to empower migrant women from multicultural backgrounds through sport. She has also been a Cricket Australia Ambassador, Commonwealth Games Ambassador and Jean Hailes Women's Health Week Ambassador.
This event was hosted by the Multicultural Women in Sport organisation.
Our distinguished panel of guests provided their perspectives on sports diplomacy initiatives between Australia and India, followed by a panel discussion and a robust audience question and answer session.
Panelists:
Simon Taufel – Simon Taufel, is an Australian cricket umpire who is a former member of the ICC Elite umpires panel. He won a record five consecutive ICC Umpire of the Year awards between 2004 and 2008, and is generally considered to be one of the best umpires in the world. He officiated in 74 Test matches and 174 One Day Internationals between 1999 and 2012. Taufel is the youngest person to have received the ICC's Bronze Bails Award for umpiring 100 ODIs. He has officiated in three ICC Cricket World Cups, including being the first and only Australian to officiate a Final (in 2011). After leaving active international umpiring he became the first ICC Umpire Performance and Training Manager. During these four years in the role, he created and implemented cricket umpiring’s first competency based accreditation program. He survived the Lahore terrorist attack in 2009 on the Sri Lankan team and match official’s busses. He is a father of three wonderful children, husband to Helen and continues to serve the game and local community being Chairperson of the Highlands Cricket Association, Patron to the Bowral Cricket Club and Vice President of the local PCYC.
Lisa Sthalekar – An all-rounder who retired from International Cricket in 2013, Lisa made her debut for Australia in 2001 and has been part of 4 successful World Cup victories with the last one being held in India, 2013. During her time with the Australian team she was vice-captain from 2006 – 2008 and had the privilege for a few matches captaining her country. Lisa is the first player in women’s cricket history to have scored over 1000 runs and taken 100 wickets. Off the field, Lisa is still heavily involved in cricket, as a commentator around the world, plus one of the Channel 7’s commentary crew. Plus holds a number of positions as an Independent Director on the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) board, Board member of the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) board, a member of the ICC Women’s Committee as the Players Representative and just recently made a Council member for the Sports Advisory Diplomacy Council.
Brad Rowse – Brad Rowse has been a central figure in Melbourne City FC’s leadership since the Club was founded as Melbourne Heart in 2010. Brad joined the Club in 2009 as Director of Commercial and Operations and has played an integral role in transforming the Club from a start-up business into a successful and sustainable organisation and anchor club of City Football Group (CFG). Since taking on the CEO role in 2018 Brad has helped take the Club to two back-to-back grand finals and winning both the A-League Premiers Plate and Premiership title in the 20/21 season. This was also on the back of the most successful woman’s team in W-League history. Melbourne City is now known for their attacking, entertaining style of football plus their emphasis on developing junior talent through the City Football Academy. Before joining Melbourne City in 2009, Brad held senior Commercial and Marketing roles in the Australian Football League (AFL) with both Geelong and Melbourne Football Clubs.
Harini Rana – Harini has been selected to represent India among 40 girls from 30 countries by the International Cricket Council for future leaders’ Programme. She was also the Indian delegate for the Victorian Government Global Business Summit for Women in Sport. She was invited by Vital Voices, Foundation by Hillary Clinton for sport mentorship program and her journey has been featured in Herald Sun, ABC, Forbes, Hindustan Times, Times of India, New Indian Express, Navbharat Times, Divya Bhaskar along with other mainstream newspapers, magazines, channels in India and overseas.
This event was moderated by Molina Asthana, Principal, Swarup Asthana Lawyers and Business Advisors and Founder of Multicultural Women in Sport. Molina is a commercial lawyer with her own practice and is currently the Vice President of the Law Institute of Victoria. She is a Commissioner for the AFL South East Commission, a director on the board of Gymnastics Victoria and a member of the Football Federation of Victoria Tribunal. She is the founder of the organisation Multicultural Women in Sport which aims to empower migrant women from multicultural backgrounds through sport. She has also been a Cricket Australia Ambassador, Commonwealth Games Ambassador and Jean Hailes Women's Health Week Ambassador.
