Should Netball be an Olympic Sport?

The fast-paced nature of netball has caught the attention of many people across the country who have chosen to follow the sport and even pick up a ball to have a go themselves. The athletes use skill and tactics to battle it out on court, quickly shifting between defence and attack for a captivating game. The sport has gained immense popularity throughout the country, leaving many to question why it has not yet been included in the Olympics. During the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, netball was one of the ten core sports involved, which saw twelve nations from Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania battle it out on court to win the gold medal. The sport truly excelled during the Games, promising an electric atmosphere for the crowds of spectators who turned up to watch the matches. Since the 2014 Glasgow Games, it has been reported that participation levels in netball have increased by 58 per cent in Scotland. This increase in netball membership figures represents the ever-growing popularity of the sport; so why hasn’t it yet gained admission into the Olympic Games? Despite constant campaigning, netball failed to be accepted as a temporary sport in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. As the number of Olympic sports entered in any Games is capped at 28, the overall total of non-permanent sports must be altered for netball to stand a chance of being recognised. While this may sound simple enough, it takes an immense amount of time and work for the International Netball Federation (INF) to convince the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive committee that the sport meets the criteria. During the process, the following points must be addressed:

potential ticket sales
costs
health of the athletes
popularity
global reach

IOC’s acceptance of netball into the Olympic Games will show a positive change in how women’s sport is represented. As one of only two women-only sports featured in 2014 Commonwealth Games, netball’s inclusion in the Olympics will help improve the overall gender equality level. Olympic heptathlon gold medallist Denise Lewis has previously backed netball’s bid for Olympic inclusion, following Olympic Minister Tessa Jowell’s appeal to put an end to “gender discrepancies” at the Games. Lending her support to the campaign, Denise commented: “Winning an Olympic Gold medal was the pinnacle of my athletics careers, and I would love to see the same opportunity given to the world’s best netball players.” Denise continued, “We should be giving women as many opportunities as possible to showcase their talent, especially at the Olympics, which is the biggest sporting stage. It is the right time for the IOC to start considering the sport on its shortlist for inclusion.” Here at Charles Lawrence we aim to make sports as accessible as possible, so people of all ages and abilities can participate. Whatever your netball court requirements, we offer a range of high quality services, including:

construction
installation
maintenance

Our specialist team have the knowledge and expertise to build and maintain both indoors and outdoors to ensure high performance and maximum enjoyment. Simply get in touch with our expert team today for further information about any of our services.