Netball was empowering women and girls from around the world, the president of the International Netball Federation Molly Rhone said in Brisbane on Wednesday.
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Speaking at a media briefing before this week’s G20 Leaders' Summit in Brisbane, Ms Rhone said 20 million people played netball globally, across 75 countries, and, as primarily a women’s sport, it played a vital role globally in the empowerment of women.
Next year in Sydney, Australia will host the 14th Netball World Cup, in which the world’s top 16 netball nations will vie for top place.
The Australian Diamonds go into next year’s event as reigning champions, but will face fierce competition from arch rival the Silver Ferns as well as rising powers England, Jamaica, South Africa and Malawi.
Ms Rhone used the G20 media conference to promote netball as more than just a sport.
“It is often possible to establish netball in places and cultures where women’s opportunities for interaction outside of the family are limited or non-existent,” she said.
She linked the rise in elite competitions in Australia, New Zealand and England to providing a path for netball players in developing countries.
“Elite level are top athletes who are the fuel of aspiration which drives netball forward,” she said.
“Through netball, a girl from a village from Malawi might find herself competing (against) giants such as Australia, New Zealand or England on the world stage.”
Ms Rhone praised the partnerships with governments that recognised the key role netball could play in women's health, the development of women’s roles and positive role models, and women’s empowerment.
“A good example is the success of the anti-obesity scheme run in Tonga with the support of the Tongan and Australian governments and Back to Netball in England, which has brought thousands of women to participate in team sports again,” she said.
Ms Rhone predicted a strong global future for netball.
“Netball is a good news story,” she said.
“It is fast and fun and requires a minimum of space and equipment and can be played virtually anywhere and is primarily a women's sport, and does not suffer from being overshadowed by a big brother male game.”
She also indicated that netball could be as successful as any other sport on the world stage.
“At the elite level it can hold its own with any global sport, while at a grassroots level it can be played for sheer fun,” she said.