WHY DOES IT MATTER?
We think our sport deserves to be played on the biggest stage and that young netballers of today should be able to aspire to be Olympic medallists of tomorrow.
Seven in ten people think netball should be included in the Olympics, according to new research for a campaign calling for the sport to stop being overlooked by the International Olympic Committee.
Well over one million women play netball each week in the UK making it one of the country’s most popular team sports, but it is not just women who think it should be played at the Games.
The poll of a nationally-representative sample of 1,009 people for leading online retailer Netball UK found 73 per cent of both men and women think Netball should be a sport played at the Olympics.
Now, netballers are being asked to show they back the campaign, which is asking ‘Why No Netball?’, by signing a petition which will be used to show the strength of support for the country’s most popular women’s team sport.
Why now?
Despite being played by 20 million people in more than 80 countries, netball has constantly been overlooked for inclusion by the International Olympic Committee, despite efforts from the sports’ world governing body.
Latest efforts focus on the possibility of inclusion in the 2032 Olympic Games which are due to take place in Australia where netball is also the biggest team sport for women and girls.
WHY ISN’T NETBALL AN OLYMPIC SPORT?
It’s a hotly debated topic – and it’s probably due to several factors.
One is the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) strict criteria for including new sports in the Olympics.
These criteria include factors such as the sport’s global popularity, its governance by an established international federation, gender equity, and its ability to add value to the Olympic programme.
Fair or not, these are some of the reasons critics of Netball and opponents of its inclusion put forward. It’s important those of us in favour of making Netball an Olympic sport at least understand these so we can argue against them!
Global Reach and Participation
Some say that Netball, while popular in certain regions like the Commonwealth countries and some parts of Asia and Africa, lacks the global reach of sports like football, basketball, or athletics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) typically looks for sports with widespread participation across continents.
Gender Equity
The IOC emphasises gender equity in sports, aiming for a balanced representation of male and female athletes. While netball is predominantly played by women, and mixed and men’s netball is growing in popularity, this has undoubtedly historically been a factor in its absence from the Olympics.
Competition
The process of including a new sport in the Olympic programme is highly competitive. Many sports vie for inclusion, and the IOC carefully evaluates each sport based on various criteria, including its popularity, appeal to younger generations, media interest, and ability to enhance the Olympic experience.
Innovation
Netball may need to adapt its rules, format, or presentation to better align with the IOC’s criteria for Olympic inclusion. Innovations such as mixed-gender competitions, modified gameplay formats, or initiatives to enhance spectator engagement could enhance netball’s appeal to the IOC and increase its chances of becoming an Olympic sport.