Sports Call - On an emotional level it's never really bothered me that netball hasn't featured at the Olympics.
Netball World Cup 2019 winners, the Silver Ferns. Photo: © SWpix.com (t/a Photography Hub Ltd)
Yes, it's world sports biggest stage but knowing the history of the sport, which is bedded in the Commonwealth heartland, there's something special about the sports two current pinnacle events.
The thing about a Netball World Cup, if you are ever lucky enough to get to one, is that for 10 days straight you are surrounded by people who get the game, who have it in their blood.
The likes of a Trinidad and Tobago, a Samoa, Zimbabwe - they provide so much sound and colour at those events.
It's hard to imagine netball at the Olympics.
As a Kiwi if you've ever tried to explain netball to an American, the first thing you get back is a blank stare and 'nitball?' Most have never even heard of the sport.
It's a bit ironic given that women's basketball first originated in the United States late in the 19th century. A teacher from New Orleans asked for a copy of the rules of basketball but misinterpreted a drawing of the court and thought players couldn't leave certain areas, which we now know as thirds.
Netball was first played in England in 1895, before it spread to many British Commonwealth countries. Netball has been played at the Commonwealth Games since 1998.
The fact that it is predominantly played in Commonwealth countries, is one of the barriers to getting it into the Olympics.
Earlier this week Netball Australia confirmed its intent to push for the sport to be played at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Game, with the support of World Netball.
The reality is if netball does finally get its day at the Olympics, it's unlikely it will be the seven aside game that most of us grew up playing.
Netball at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Photo: RNZ Bridget Tunnicliffe
With the IOC having a cap on the number of participants, a shorter variation like Fast Five would hold more appeal, like rugby has with sevens.
The other thing World Netball will need to think about is the IOCs stated goal of having a gender balance.
A mixed netball competition would take care of that, and get the numbers down again.
Those are the challenges that World Netball will need to work through and collaborate with their members on.
World Netball is in good hands. Since Liz Nicholl took over as president from Molly Rhone in 2019 after a 16 year tenure, the governing body has a newly acquired verve.
Nicholl has got the credentials to steer World Netball through the coming challenges. She was CEO of England Netball for 16 years, and later served nine years as CEO of UK Sport.
New Zealander Shirley Hopper was recently voted in as vice president. She's also got years of experience in sports governance and speaks with clarity about the challenges and exciting opportunities ahead for the sport.
Unlocking potential
Netball is terribly under resourced given how many participants the sport actually has around the world.
Netball is played by over 20 million people across more than 80 countries.
When I asked Hooper recently how many full-time paid staff work at World Netball, she counted out five.
Vice-president of World Netball Shirley Hooper. Photo: Supplied
You can bet that would pale in comparison to the number of staff employed at World Rugby's headquarters, despite participation being half of netball's - nearly 10 million world-wide.
"We're just not blessed the way some other sports are. If only we had an India that cricket have ..."
"I've worked across the synchronised swimming space too. When I was in Lausanne one time, I popped in to have a look at the FINA headquarters in Switzerland. They had a gloriously flash building, they would have had 50 employees there at least," Hooper said.
"There's the honour and glory of being in the Olympics and everyone wants the tattoo and the ring but the reality is for many sports it's also a pathway to funding.
"And for a lot of our nations that's the magic key to being able to access Olympic solidarity funding or the funding streams that the IOC gives to national olympic committees."
The potential for netball to get a bigger hold in Africa is huge; right now it's only scratching the surface.
Look at New Zealand's own Grace Nweke, the newly named Silver Fern of Nigerian descent. Her natural athleticism and power makes one wonder how many Graces are walking around the African continent and they don't even know it.
Those national sides typically have to do their own fund-raising to get to World Cups with the help of World Netball.
Silver Fern squad member Grace Nweke Photo: Photosport
It's those countries where Olympic funding could make a massive difference.
So while it's never really bothered me that netball isn't an Olympic sport, in order to see the game reach its potential and give more opportunities to women who need it most, gaining inclusion to the Olympics is key to that.
Another by-product from New Zealand's point of view is that netball could have a better chance of retaining players, with some in recent years been lured to sevens because of the prospect of competing at the Games.
There is a lot of water to go under the bridge and netball won't be the only sport that targets Brisbane 2032.
Bidding to be part of the Olympic Games requires considerable financial investment and many hours lobbying IOC Members and Organising Committees over a number of years.
"It's a long game but without a plan you're never going to achieve anything," Hooper said.
