Netball, a sport with an estimated 13 million players worldwide and particularly strong in England and Africa, is actively campaigning for inclusion in the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. This push comes as the Commonwealth Games, a traditional stronghold for the sport, grapples with its own challenges regarding hosting costs and relevance.

World Netball president Dame Liz Nicholl emphasized the significance of the Commonwealth Games for the sport, noting that over 150,000 tickets were sold for netball at the Birmingham 2022 event. "We strongly support the Commonwealth Games and want to see it thrive," she stated. "But the future of netball cannot depend on one event."

Chelsea Pitman, a Commonwealth gold medalist and now a head coach, echoed the sentiment, calling the prospect of Olympic inclusion "absolutely amazing" but also highlighting the value of the Commonwealth Games as a major multi-sport event. England's head coach, Anna Stembridge, added that the Commonwealth Games represent "a really important part of our history... a really important part of our four-year cycle."

However, netball's position in the Commonwealth Games is not guaranteed, as only athletics and swimming are designated as core sports. In response to this uncertainty and to bolster its international profile, netball is also exploring other avenues, including making its World Cup biennial starting next year.

The campaign for Olympic inclusion is gaining momentum, with a decision from the International Olympic Committee expected soon. Dame Liz believes that Olympic inclusion would be a pivotal moment in netball's history, helping to "future-proof it for the generations to come." She argued that the sport has a strong case for inclusion, demonstrating strong governance, global reach, compelling events, and alignment with the Olympic movement's priorities. "To be in the Olympics is an ambition for every athlete and, if ever there is a chance, it is now," she said.

Netball's origins trace back to basketball, developed in late-Victorian England by teenagers. The sport was first devised in 1891 by James Naismith, the inventor of basketball. The sport evolved from its basketball roots, with early iterations seen in colleges like Madame Osterberg's Physical Training College in Dartford. Students at Madame Bergman Osterberg's Physical Training College in Dartford take part in outdoor exercises in the late 1890s A study funded by a Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Grant, running from 2022 to 2027, is examining netball's role in the intergenerational health and wellbeing of women in Aotearoa.

With the potential for Olympic inclusion on the horizon, netball is seeking to elevate its status on the global sporting stage. The Olympic flag flies in the wind during the closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games The sport's governing body is focused on demonstrating the necessary criteria for acceptance into the Olympic program.