Olympic Games

The IOC (International Olympic Committee) ‘owns’ the Olympic Games.

The honour and responsibility of hosting the Olympic Games are entrusted by the IOC to a city, which is elected as the host city of the Olympic Games.

The Games of the Olympiad (4 year period) are celebrated during the first year of an Olympiad, and the Olympic Winter Games during its third year.

The Olympic Charter sets forth and recalls the Fundamental Principles and essential values of Olympism and is an excellent guide to how the Olympic movement works. It defines the three main constituents of the Olympic Movement, namely the International Olympic Committee, the International Federations, and the National Olympic Committees, as well as the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, all of which are required to comply with the Olympic Charter.

IOC Recognition

In order to develop and promote the Olympic Movement, the IOC may recognise as ‘International Federations’ (IF’s) international non-governmental organisations administering one or several sports at world level and encompassing organisations administering such sports at a national level.

The statutes, practice’s and activities of the IFs within the Olympic Movement must be in conformity with the Olympic Charter, including the adoption and implementation of the World Anti-Doping Code.

World Netball is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

This status was earned because of netball’s global popularity, our strong and effective governance structures, and our compliance with the Olympic Charter.

However, IOC recognition does not mean automatic inclusion in the Olympic Games.

World Netball’s Purpose

World Netball’s Articles of Association state clearly the fundamental purposes of the company. One of these purposes is stated as:

• to maintain Netball on the Commonwealth Games programme and
• to strive for the addition of netball to the Olympic programme;

In accordance with this World Netball applied to the OCOG for netball to be a part of the OG Tokyo 2020 but was unsuccessful.

In August 2021, World Netball declared its intention to work with Netball Australia to make a compelling case for Netball’s inclusion in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

We will continue to look at Olympic Inclusion, but not at the determent of the growth of netball.

Read the full announcement here.

World Netball meets regularly with representatives from the IOC.

World Netball continues to work to increase the awareness of the sport worldwide e.g. Increasing Membership and working to gain involvement in more multi-sport events. Netball has been on the programme of The World Games, is included in the South East Asia Games, Mini-Pacific Games and Central American and Caribbean Games and in 2024 joins the Asian Indoor Games.

Click here to download World Netball Position statement on the Olympic Games