So, we now have at least three international sporting events to look forward to in 2015. There’s the AFC Asian Cup football tournament in January-February, the ICC Cricket World Cup in February-March (jointly hosted with New Zealand), and now the IFNA Netball World Cup.
Well, it’s formally known as the International Federation of Netball Associations’ World Championship, but for some reason World Cup just sounds snazzier.
Anyway, the IFNA announced on March 19 that Sydney, Australia would host the 2015 edition, bringing the elite womens’ sport down under once more. Manchester, England, was the only other city that bid against the 2000 Summer Olympics city, although I must say – from a netball outsider POV – it does baffle me as to why it’s a single-city tournament.
Still, it’s going to be in Australia, and that’s great!
According to the IFNA statement, the board of directors and its evaluation officials said Sydney “had a number of features which were exceptional” in swinging the bid its way.
“The Sydney Olympic Park precinct will provide an extraordinary environment for the athletes, with world class accommodation, training and competition venues all within walking distance,” said the IFNA.
IFNA president Molly Rhone said the 2015 World Cup would be held at Acer Arena.
“We are certain that athletes, officials and spectators will have an amazing experience in Sydney and we look forward to working with New South Wales Events and Netball Australia.”
Netball NSW called it “exciting news for netball fans.”
The world record crowd for a netball Test is also currently held by Acer Arena, when 14,339 saw Australia play New Zealand (who else?) in November 2004.
The tournament features the best 16 teams in the world, and the previous time it came to Australia was in 1991 – also in Sydney. Makes you wonder how that decision is made by Netball Australia, and why no other city bothers to try and put its hand up to have a go at the job.
Or why not spread the event out between say Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, perhaps Perth, etc like its rugby union or cricketing counterparts?
That 1991 final saw Australia beat arch-rivals New Zealand 53-52 in a thriller.
Netball Australia CEO Kate Palmer said this country could deliver a World Cup that would benefit the sport world-wide.
“This is a dream come true,” she added.
Held every four years, the World Cup began in 1963.
As of the end of January the IFNA world rankings would offer the following top 16 teams: New Zealand, Australia, England, Jamaica, Fiji, South Africa, Malawi, Tinidad and Tobago, Samoa, Barbados, Cook Islands, Northern Ireland, St Lucia, Wales, Sri Lanka and Scotland.
Let’s hope that this international event gets just as much support as the football and cricket tournaments surrounding it in 2015 – and all Australians appreciate some fine sporting spectacles on offer at a venue near you (particularly if you live in Sydney, which I don’t).
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