‘Held to ransom’: Netball Australia backflips on World Cup call over player dispute

Netball Australia has been accused of holding the country’s best players to ransom after it refused to make a major World Cup team reveal.

Netball Australia is once again in crisis, with the sport’s governing body being accused of holding the national team to ransom.

According to CODE Sports, national selectors are refusing to announce the Diamonds’ squad for the upcoming Netball World Cup until a new Collective Player Agreement (CPA) is agreed on.

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Players were supposed to be told on Tuesday if they had made the 12-player squad (plus three reserves) for the Netball World Cup, which gets underway in July in South Africa.

But that didn’t happen. Netball Australia informed players and the Australian Netball Players’ Association that the Diamonds CPA had to be signed off before any team announcement could be made.

CODE reports a meeting on Monday between the players, ANPA representatives, NA chief executive Kelly Ryan and high performance staff confirmed the hard line stance.

Netball Australia is refusing to tell player if they’re going to the World Cup. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

A NA spokeswoman said in a statement: “Netball Australia and ANPA are working through contracting, with players informed they will be notified of selection once this process has been finalised.”

Netball Australia reportedly wants a three-year agreement with Australian representative players and won’t inform them about selection for the World Cup until that is reached.

One source told CODE the playing group had been “held to ransom” by the sport’s governing body.

It’s a separate matter to the Super Netball CPA, which is also outstanding and expires at the end of this Super Netball season, which has one round remaining plus finals.

The standoff is the last thing the Diamonds need weeks out from a World Cup. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

But it’s not a good look for netball, following the collapse of Collingwood’s Super Netball team and the Hancock Prospecting sponsorship saga of last year.

Netball Australia has been accused of effectively blackmailing their players ahead of netball showpiece tournament.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie tweeted: “Honestly one of the dumber things I’ve seen a sports organisation do? Like...you have to submit your squad for the World Cup. You’re not going to skip it.

“Does Netball Australia think this is some smart leverage move? You have a deadline. Logically this makes no sense?”

The governing body of the No.1 team in the world can’t even get it together to announce its World Cup side in a professional manner.

We’re supposed to be a leader. Other countries will be watching with glee knowing how much of a shambles it is. Get it sorted. Please 🙏 #NWC2023

— Brittany Carter (@_BrittanyCarter) June 13, 2023

Netball Australia is literally so embarrassing

— Jeremy Rich (@jeremypeterrich) June 13, 2023

The Diamonds will go in as favourites to win the World Cup after they lost the 2019 decider to New Zealand by one goal.

Australia has won everything there is to win in this cycle of international netball — the Quad Series, Constellation Cup and the Commonwealth Games gold medal.

But the World Cup is the one trophy missing from their cabinet.

The Diamonds will face stiff competition from New Zealand and rising powerhouse Jamaica at what is expected to be the “hardest World Cup” yet.