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WN Medical Advisory Panel

The Board of Directors has established a Medical Advisory Panel.

The World Netball (WN) Medical Advisory Panel (MAP) – an expert medical panel – is the authority for all medical, health and anti-doping matters for the sport of netball.

The MAP is advisory and will make recommendations to the WN Board to assist WN to achieve its vision, values and strategic goals as outlined in the Strategic Plan, with respect to anti-doping and the health and wellbeing of the participants of netball.

Aim

Promotion and protection of the health of players, as well as injury prevention and rehabilitation, by enhanced knowledge and skills for maximal performance of the sport of netball at all levels

Terms of Reference

The WN MAP role:

  • Advising and guiding the WN Board and Members on medical issues specific to netball to ensure timely and informed decision-making.
  • Determining and recommending policies, rules and regulations and developing related norms and standards for WN.
  • Taking responsibility for the implementation of all technical aspects of the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Standards, including the work of the WN Therapeutics Use Exemption Committee.
  • Ensuring the adoption and implementation of relevant national and international standards applicable to the sport of netball by WN and its affiliates, including at the Netball World Cup and other international events sanctioned by WN.
  • Providing representation for WN at selected national and international forums on medical, health and anti-doping issues, as requested.
  • Providing management strategies for International and Public Health measures, specific to each region.
  • Conducting and supporting research to provide WN with advice on future trends, opportunities and direction.
  • Establishing and maintaining linkages with other Medical and Anti-Doping Organisations, Commissions and Committees.
  • The priority areas are:
    • Adoption and implementation of the WADA Code, International Standards, WN Anti-Doping Policy and all related rules, regulations and guidelines.
    • Development of policies, norms and standards for medical and health areas of sports relevant to netball.
    • Information provision and education of WN and affiliates on medical, health and anti-doping issues relevant to netball, to encompass alternative modalities, including sports medicine, biomechanics, physiology applied to sports, nutrition and all sciences linked to sports.
    • Generating research specifically relating to medicine and science in netball

For full terms of reference for the Board Committees, Working Groups and Panels click here.

The members of the Panel:
Chair
Prof. Christa Janse Van Rensburg
Appointed June 2023

Prof Christa Janse van Rensburg is a Medical Specialist – Rheumatology, working in private practice, based in South Africa.
Christa is a qualified Sports Physician and Co-director of Sport at the University of Pretoria’s Sports Science Medical Unit. She is currently a member of the Scientific Committee for the 2020 IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in sport.
Christa has been the team doctor at a number of Netball events e.g. All African Games and Commonwealth Games as well as providing medical support to other sports at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.
Prof Janse tutors at the annual IOC Advanced Team Physician courses and has previously played representative level netball in South Africa. Christa was appointed as a member of the panel in 2019, and then became Chair in 2023.

Panel Member
Sharon Kearney
Reappointed July 2023

Sharon Kearney is a Physiotherapist with a post graduate diploma in Sports Medicine specialising in ACL Injury Prevention in Netball, based in New Zealand.
Sharon served as team physiotherapist to Netball New Zealand at the Netball World Youth Cup, the Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games from 1992-2015 and was Medical Co-Ordinator and Physiotherapist Lead for Netball New Zealand from 2003 until 2016. Currently, Sharon is the Injury Prevention Programme Manager for Netball New Zealand, working on the NetballSmart programme which aims to decrease injuries and develop competent confident movers.

Panel Member
Janet Young appointed November 2022

Janet was a Biomedical Scientist with Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board in Scotland for 37 years. She was Microbiology Laboratory Manager for one of the largest Microbiology Departments in the UK. Janet is a qualified UK Anti-Doping Educator (2013 till now) and is Anti-Doping Lead for Europe Netball and Netball Scotland. Part of these roles includes being responsible for delivery of Anti-Doping Education and writing of Anti-Doping Policies. Janet was an International Umpire and Team Manager for Scottish Thistles and has attended 4 World Championships in these roles.

Panel Member
Dr Laura Lallenec appointed July 2023

Dr Lallenec, is a Sport and Exercise Physician working in Australia with elite sporting teams, such as the Australian Diamonds, where she is the team doctor.The newest Medical Advisory Panel (MAP) Member is also the Chief Medical Officer for World Netball Member, Netball Australia, and the Medical Advisor for Sport Integrity Australia, where she advices on anti-doping matters.

 

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