Will Netball Go Olympic?

Basketball has been an Olympic sport since 1936. But netball, its close sibling, played by more than 20 million people in 80 countries, is still waiting for its chance.

Basketball has been an Olympic sport since 1936. But netball, its close sibling, played by more than 20 million people in 80 countries, is still waiting for its chance.

Both games originated in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, when James Naismith was told to invent an indoor game to keep high-spirited young men busy. The two sports that evolved from that invention have many similarities, but also important differences: There is no dribbling in netball and players are restricted to specific zones on the court. Historically, basketball has been dominated by men and netball by women.

Netball’s international rankings show the sport’s truly global reach, including teams from New Zealand, Scotland, Fiji, Hong Kong, Barbados and Tanzania.

In 1995, netball became a “recognized” Olympic sport, but has yet to be included in Olympic competition, despite some high-profile advocates. A campaign of more than 600,000 to have the sport included in the 2012 Olympics counted among its supporters former British prime minister Gordon Brown and the wife of another former prime minister. "Including [netball] in the Olympics,” said Cheri Blair, wife of Tony Blair, to an English netball club, “would send out a strong message that there are as many chances for women as men to compete at the highest level in team sports."