World Cup to Olympics ‘a natural next step’ for netball
Joanna Guelas |
Liz Ellis hopes that by the time Australia hosts the 2027 World Cup, netball will be part of the Brisbane Olympics program.
Diamonds great and Netball Australia chair Ellis is leading the push to get the sport included at the 2032 Games for the first time in Olympic history.
Netball Australia has already launched a petition ahead of the bid process as the sport’s national governing body looks to harness growing momentum around the World Cup, set to be hosted in Sydney.
Ellis, a former World Cup-winning captain and star goal keeper, has already made herself familiar with Australian Olympic Committee chief Mark Arbib.
“I’m sure he sees my number come up and he’s like, ‘What does she want now?'” Ellis joked.
“He knows, though.”
With two years to go until the 2027 tournament, Ellis said earning Olympic status for the Brisbane Games is a natural progression following a busy international calendar for Australia.
The Diamonds will first contest Test series against New Zealand and South Africa, before the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games in June.
“Australia has an unbelievable history of netball, but I think our most exciting years are in front of us,” Ellis said.
“Celebrating two years to go (until the World Cup) just keeps us up there on the radar.
“As much as the World Cup represents an opportunity to inspire the next generation, imagine if we were able to couple that with the opportunity for a young player to play at the Olympics.
“Everywhere you look in Australia, netball is in the DNA. We’re really unique in that regard, being all across the country, being a sport that has women in its DNA.
“The natural next step is the Olympics.”
On the verge of starting the bidding process, Ellis said netball’s inclusion at the Brisbane Olympics would be decided before the World Cup.
“We hope that the 2027 event is a celebration of the next five years of the sport for Australia,” Ellis said.
“We’ve been investing significant time and resources over the last few months to get ourselves in a position where if we’re asked to put in a bid, we will.”
The bid comes as Super Netball players call on the domestic league to expand in a bid to ensure talent pathways for younger Australian talent.
A new broadcast deal starting from 2027 is looming as Super Netball slowly turns its financial fortunes around after the effects of COVID-19 and the loss of a major sponsor.
Eight former and current Silver Ferns are leading an influx of international stars who will join the league next year, taking 19 of the 80 roster spots across eight clubs.
Diamonds captain Liz Watson was vocal in her desire for growth.
“We have to grow us forward – it could be more teams, more contracts, expansion, all those sort of things,” Watson said.
“We’re seeing lots of players internationally come to our league now, and it’s because it is the best league in the world.
“But then again, it probably does push most of our Aussie young talent to have to go play in New Zealand or go play in England.
“We still need to look after our pathway. We can only go for so long until we don’t have many Aussies here playing.”
AAP
