Netball being left out
of the 2012 London Olympics seems preposterous to most Brits.
So, does netball
deserve a spot in the olympics and why has it not received one yet?
The sport is
overwhelmingly popular throughout the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth
countries. However, I have found numerous different estimates to how many
people actually play netball globally. According to numerous sites, it seems to
be a number around twenty million people in approximately 70 countries. This
number both helps and hurts the cause.
This seems to be
enough participation to put a sport into the Olympics. However, most of these
people are from the Commonwealth countries. Other countries would experience
huge growing pains by playing against the more experienced Commonwealth
countries.
However, the sport is
more popular than horseback riding, or curling, or even the recently added
women’s boxing? Netball is played by every young girl throughout the UK and
other countries as well. For my sister in Bristol Netball is her favourite sport. The rules are established and standardised, and the
court can be adapted from a basketball court. Surely it can not be left out
because it is too difficult to find a venue.
But, the rules are too
hard and different to learn. However, once you figure out that the main goal is
to get the ball in the net, it is fairly easy. Some people may not understand
the fouls, but this happens in football, rugby, and basketball sometimes!
A prominent theory is
that since mostly women play it, it will never be an Olympic sport. A more
likely proposition is that its minimal popularity in the US, China, and
mainland Europe hurts its chances. Hopefully, the IOC does not really have
either of these mindsets.
The IOC does need to
recognize the sport’s growth throughout the world. The BBC and IFNA are helping
promote the sport, however more work is needed to help advertise it throughout
the world’s population. A spot in the Olympics would do more for the sport than
almost anything else. Millions, probably billions of eyes would get to see
netball being played on a huge scale.
Maybe, netball should
be in the Olympics to give all of the little girls who play it throughout
schooling hope. Hope, that they will be able to represent their country just
like any other athlete. Netballers deserve the same right as their fellow
athletes: swimmers, runners, bikers, etc.
Netball for the Rio
2016 Olympics.
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