Netball 2022: Olympic godfather John Coates delivers reality check to netball
Netball has a big problem ahead of 2032 Brisbane Olympics — with former IOC powerbroker John Coates identifying two key areas which must be addressed to warrant inclusion.
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The godfather of Australia’s Olympic movement John Coates has dealt a harsh reality check to the country’s most popular female sport and said netball needed to address its gender diversity — particularly at an elite level — for it to become part of the Olympic family.
Speaking exclusively to News Corp, Coates — a key figure in the planning and execution of the Brisbane 2032 Games — said netball “had a problem” ahead of Olympic inclusion chiefly a lack of men playing the game at elite level and scant international appetite for viewership.
Coates, who had 31 years as the president of the AOC, said: “Netball has been to see me … it’s problem is the sport has to be gender neutral.”
“We don’t see men playing at a high standard, starting with by being good enough to be part of the Commonwealth Games program. There’s just not enough countries that play the sport at an elite level.”
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Netball Australia chief executive Kelly Ryan had previously revealed to News Corp that her sport was committed to developing men’s and boys’ netball, with an eye on inclusion for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
“Our sport should be inclusive and while there is already a good base playing and engaging with netball, there is room for growth and this means actually adopting and wrapping our arms around a broader netball nation, and the men and boys who play our game,” she said.
“We are mindful of … stepping into the gender equity space, even though we would also argue netball helps them achieve gender equity.
“Women’s netball helps the Olympics to get to gender equity a hell of a lot quicker because we are a predominantly female sport.
“Regardless of the Olympics, this is what netball should be doing — embracing and welcoming anyone who wants to play the game.
“But our drive for the Olympic bid means we have to bring the whole support across the globe with us on that journey. We can’t do this on our own.”
Coates, who said he was happy with the existing program and keen to see how the public reacts to breakdancing, added netball’s Olympic bid was also hampered by being a team sport, and lack of international interest in broadcast viewership.
“While we are no longer capped at 28 sports, there is a balance of including sports and keeping athlete numbers at 10,500 … that’s where team sports like netball, and what we’ve seen with softball and baseball, struggle,” Coates said.
“Adding team sports would have to take numbers off the other sports — and the traditional core sports may not be prepared to take any more cuts. Additionally, all the sports are profiled and one of the areas considered is distribution rights and what is popular for broadcasters.
“And netball does not have the international broadcast appeal of something like the gymnastics. You would never rule anything out but 2032 is a very, very long way off for netball.”
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Originally published as Netball 2022: Olympic godfather John Coates delivers reality check to netball
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