Panels & Working Groups

The Panel is responsible for advising the CEO and the Board and working with them to support the development and implementation of agreed priorities in the Strategic Plan, particularly in relation to supporting the development of the Rules of Netball.

Terms of Reference

In relation to International Netball the panel shall:

• Consider requests for interpretation of the Rules from a Member Association or Regional Federation submitted through the Secretariat.
• Review proposals to change the Rules.
• Propose changes to the Rules.
• Prepare presentation/evidence relating to above proposals.
• Work in conjunction with the Secretariat in the production and distribution of the official Rules text.
• Work in conjunction with other Committees and Panels in the broader context of World Netball’s strategic development objectives.

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

The Members of the Panel

Chair Cheryl Danson (Reappointed from April 1st, 2018)	Cheryl is currently the Chair of the World Netball Rules Advisory panel and an ITP. She was an international umpire for 11 years and officiated at World championships, World Games and International test series. She is a qualified tutor and assessor and undertakes these roles at National, European and International levels. Her leadership and administration roles include previous EN Board director and Chair, current Director of Officiating for Europe Netball and six times delegate at INF congress. In 2015 she was awarded the World Netball service award and in 2009 she received an OBE in the Queens New year’s honours for services to Netball. Her other awards include Europe Netball Life member and Long Service award, England Netball Honorary Life member, inductee in EN Hall of fame and EN long service award.
Yvette Smith (Reappointed from April 1st, 2018)	Yvette Smith is a current member of the International Testing Panel (ITP) and is a former international umpire with over ten years of experience. She has been a member of the Rules Advisory Panel since its inception. Yvette is also a sports administrator who served as the 1st Vice President of the Jamaica Netball Association for a number of years. Yvette is a recipient of the INF Service Award as well as a recipient of the Caribbean Netball Association and Jamaica Netball Association Service Awards. Radio Jamaica Sports Foundation also honoured Yvette by awarding her with a Certificate of Merit for her contribution to the sport of netball. Yvette also was a former Jamaica international and has captained the side at under 21s level.
Jono Bredin	Jono is a current International Umpire and has officiated over 70 test matches including three Commonwealth Games and two Netball World Cups since obtaining his IUA in 2009. He is New Zealand’s most capped umpire, having officiated 107 ANZ Championship matches including four Grand Finals. Jono is also an International Testing Panel Cadet with significant experience in Umpire Development. He has held roles as a Netball New Zealand theory tutor since 2003 and was the theory examiner, writer and marker from 2012 until 2015. Jono is currently the Convenor of the Netball New Zealand Rules Panel and officiated the first test series played worldwide following both the 2016 and 2018 rule changes. Jono has received a number of officiating accolades and was a Netball New Zealand Service Award recipient in 2016. He is also a high performance Rugby Union referee.
Michelle Phippard	Michelle is one of Australia’s most experienced high performance netball umpires. She received the All Australia Umpires Award in 1998 and the International Umpires Award in 2001. Her umpiring appointments include Commonwealth Games in 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018; World Netball Championships in 2003, 2007 and 2015; World Youth Netball Championships in 2009, and numerous test series in locations around the world. To date, she has umpired a total of 95 international test matches, and approximately 150 matches in Australia’s elite domestic competitions, including Grand Finals in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2016 and 2017. Michelle has been actively involved in umpire education and testing, both in Australia and internationally. She is an International Testing Panel cadet and served on the International Netball Federation’s Match Advisory Panel from 2009-2013. She was also made an Honourary Life Member of Swiss Netball in 2011, in recognition of her contribution to the sport’s development in that country. Michelle is an accredited Netball Australia Advanced Coach and, since 2014, has been the Head Coach of Netball Australia’s Emerging Talent Umpire Program, where she is responsible for providing high-level technical feedback to identified umpires, and involved in planning and guiding their holistic development towards the elite level. Off the court, Michelle is a lawyer with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in international administrative law, and has worked for the United Nations in New York and the World Health Organization in Geneva. She is currently postgraduate studies in Sport Integrity at Victoria University. Michelle is married with three children and lives in Sydney, Australia.
Waimarama Taumaunu	The former Silver Ferns captain and coach has carved out a strong netball pedigree across all facets of the game over the last 30 years and now turns her hand to supporting game development internationally on the Rules Advisory Panel. Wai has twice been honoured for her services to netball, receiving a MBE in 1992 and an ONZM last year. She was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

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.
	Panel Member Luke Ford appointed December 2024	Luke Ford is currently the lead physiotherapist for Word Netball Member, Wales Netball with previous work as head of medical at Severn Stars in the Netball Super League in the UK . Luke’s expertise lie in musculoskeletal management, rehabilitation and performance optimisation, and within Wales Netball he is the key advisor to other physiotherapists and healthcare professionals.
	Panel Member Dr Samuel Ogbondeminu appointed December 2024	Dr. Samuel Ogbondeminu is a Sports Medicine Practitioner with over 20 years of expertise in athlete care and injury management. He has led evidence-based care in different sports at national and international events, including the African Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. Dr. Ogbondeminu contributed to Nigeria’s sports industry policy development as well as the review of African Sports Policy. He chaired the Health, Medical, and Anti-Doping stream for the 13th African Games and he is the Vice Chairperson of the Technical Committee for the African Games, Egypt 2027, overseeing the health, medical, and anti-doping Portfolio.
	Panel Member Dr Maria Mulunga appointed December 2024	Dr Maria Mulunga has a Bachelor’s of Medicine and Surgery which she obtained from Stellenbosch University. Furthermore, she is studying for an Master of Medicine (MMed) in Internal Medicine, also at Stellenbosch University. In netball specific roles, Dr Mulunga is the Team Doctor for World Netball Member, Netball Namibia, a role she has held since 2021. Dr Mulunga is also currently completing an online FIFA Diploma in Sports Medicine.

The Panel is responsible for advising the CEO and the Board and working with them to support the development and implementation of agreed priorities in the Strategic Plan, particularly, in relation to supporting the development of quality coaches worldwide.

Specifically the Panel shall:

• Work with the Board, Regional Federations and Members to maintain and communicate the current overview of coaching across the World Netball (WN) Membership
• Establish a framework that provides WN Members with clear guidelines for the delivery of quality coaching and development.
• Advise the Board and produce WN Rules, Protocols and Procedures relating to Coaching.
• Guide & support WN Members in identifying and mentoring targeted coaches in line with WN strategic priorities also in conjunction with or acknowledging current national developments in this area.
• Liaise with Regional Federations and national Member organisations to guide and support the identification of quality coach educators and mentors operating at all levels of the game.
• Facilitate the delivery of education/training workshops for coaches at International and Regional levels as appropriate.
• Contribute to or endorse quality coach education programmes & resources as well as promote those already available.
• Work in conjunction with other Panels and Committees in the broader context of WN’s strategic development objectives to ensure alignment.

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

The Members of the Panel

	Chair Dr Anita Navin (Appointed from September, 2022)	Dr Anita Navin was named UK Coach Educator of the Year in 2011 for her commitment to coach development with England Netball and completed a Professional Doctorate in netball researching coaching expertise in 2013. Anita’s career has been within Higher Education working to develop degree level programmes in a range of sport disciplines. Anita has led on several World Netball Legacy programmes for coaches in Africa and South America, and is also the Chair of the World Netball region, Europe Netball’s, Coaching Group. In the UK’s Netball Superleague, Anita was a co-founder of Severn Stars in 2016 and is currently a member of the Severn Stars Board, and his previously also coached in the league with Team Northumbria. Anita was also a High-Performance Centre Coach with England Netball. Anita is currently a consultant and supports a range of sports with research and implementing coach development programmes.
	Anna Stembridge (Appointed from January, 2023)	At an international level Anna has experience as both a player and a Head Coach, having played for Wales Netball, and then coached England from 2011-2015. During her time as Head Coach of England Netball, Anna made history winning gold at the 2011 World Netball Series in Liverpool (now known as the FAST5 Netball World Series). Also in netball, Anna has coached at an elite domestic level for Team Bath in the UK’s Netball Superleague. Anna coached across two stents, from 2008-2010 and 2016-2022, during this time she led them to winning the Superleague twice and securing silver once. Outside of netball, Anna has Masters in Sports Phycology, and is currently working as a Performance and Leadership Consultant as well as being a Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching.
	Burta De Kock (Reappointed from January 2023)	Burta has been a high performance coach for the previous fifteen years at the University of the Free State as well as the Province Free State. Burta has coached the national South African Proteas side in 2006/2007 and in 2011 and also coached the South Africa Under 23s between 2016 and 2017. Burta has been involved in administration and management projects of the province for 30 years. Currently, Burta is the coach of Crinums in the Brutal Fruit series, the Province A team in SA Spar Championships and the University of the Free State in the Varsity series.
	Leigh Gibbs (Appointed from January 2023)	Leigh has been involved in netball for many years, as a player and captain of New Zealand, umpire, administrator and of course a coach too. In the coaching landscape she has over 50 years-experience at all levels, and has previously been on the Coaching Advisory Panel within World Netball from 2009 – 2011 before taking a step back to work on the Rules Advisory Panel. Currently, Leigh is the Community Coaching Manager at Netball New Zealand, a role which she has been in since April 2022, after spending over five years at Netball Queensland as the Director of Coaching and Officiating. Prior to this, Leigh held several other different Community and High Performance positions at Netball New Zealand and also spent a period of time as Head of Coaching at Tactix in the ANZ Premiership (New Zealand).
	Nicola Jones (Appointed from January 2023)	Nicola has been helping develop netball in the Oceania region for over 20 years. From being the programme developer of Netball New Zealand’s Sporting Partnership ‘NetGo’ programme developing coaching workshops and resources, supporting the development of Coach Developers and teachers in the Pacific, to leading the review and redevelopment of junior netball in New Zealand, Nicola has been involved at all levels. Outside of the Oceania region, Nicola has also coached the Sri Lanka Senior and Under 21 squads.
	Sue Gaudion (Appointed from January 2023)	Sue is a high-performance coach with a wealth of experience at State, National and International level. At an international level, her first role came when she was appointed as the Head Coach of Singapore, and led them to 12th at the World Netball Championships (now known as the Netball World Cup) in 1999. In 2008, at elite domestic level she led West Coast Fever in the inaugural season of the Trans Tasman League, the ANZ Championship, where she is now an Assistant Coach. Slightly further away from the court, using her coaching analytical skills, Sue is a commentator too, with over 20 years of experience in the media industry, having commentated on matches at the most recent Commonwealth Games (Birmingham 2022) and the most recent Netball World Cup (Liverpool 2019).
	Sue Hawkins (Re-appointed from January 2023)	Sue is a High-Performance Coaching Contractor who previously worked for the New South Wales (NSW) Institute of Sport as the Head Coach of the netball program, developing the next generation of ANZ players for NSW. Mentor coach for 22 coaches in NSW, coach of the NSW Waratahs which is the Australian League team from NSW. Sue came into this role following her time as England National Coach (2008 – 2011) having previously coached the NZ Auckland Diamonds (2005-2008), Queensland Academy of Sport & Firebirds Head Coach (2000 – 2004) and the Australian Institute of Sport specialist senior netball coach (1996 – 2000).As a player Sue was World Champion in 1983 for Australia, and played 29 test matches for Australia as GA/GS.
	Tracey Neville (Appointed from January 2023)	Tracey has international experience as both a player and coach, with 81 caps for England Netball, before later in her career going on to coach her country from 2015-2019 where in 2018, she led them to a record Gold at the Commonwealth Games. At an elite domestic level, Tracey has been just as successful both as a player and as a coach. In 2007, Tracey won the UK’s Netball Superleague with Manchester Thunder, and as a coach she then went on to win the league with Thunder three more times in 2011, 2014 and 2022. Tracey has been deservingly recognised multiple times for her achievements to date in netball, from being made a Member of the order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2015, to being awarded a Service to Sport Award at the Sport Journalist Awards in 2018, before going on to win the UK Sport’s ‘Coach of the Year’ Award in 2019 just to name a few. Tracey currently works in Coach Education, and is Assistant Coach at Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League.
	Vicki Wilson (Appointed from January 2023)	Vicki Wilson is one of Netball Australia’s high performance coaches, who has worked with teams in all three of the top elite domestic leagues: The Suncorp Super Netball League (Australia), the Netball Superleague (UK), and the ANZ Premiership (New Zealand) over the last 20 plus years. Vicki also has experience working in Coach Education and Consultancy as an educator and assessor both within a school environment and at the international level working with the likes of New Zealand, Singapore, England, Papua New Guinea and Scotland to name a few. Her most recent roles, include being Head Coach of Fiji at the Commonwealth Games 2018 and Netball World Cup 2019, and Specialist Coach for Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Suncorp Super Netball League.

The Panel is responsible for advising the CEO and Board, working with them to support the development and implementation of agreed priorities in the INF Strategic Plan, particularly in development and ratification of policies and supporting the development and implementation of agreed priorities for World Class Officiating (WCO) and outcomes of any WCO reviews.

Terms of Reference

In relation to International Netball the panel shall:

• Work in conjunction with other Panels (RAP and CAP) and Committees in the
  broader context of INF strategic development objectives to ensure alignment.
• Advise the CEO and produce procedures relating to Umpiring.
• Work in conjunction with INF Panels to facilitate the delivery of
  education/training workshops for match officials at International and Regional
  levels as appropriate.

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

The Members of the Panel

Chair Janis Teesdale (Appointed, December 2024)	Janis Teesdale is the current Chair of the World Netball (WN) Officiating Advisory Panel (OAP) and is also currently part of the WN International Testing Panel (ITP). Janis was most recently the ITP Chair at the FAST5 Netball World Series’ (2016, 2023 and 2024) and an ITP at the WN Commonwealth Games’ (2018 and 2022), Taini Jamison Trophy (2016,2017,2021,2023) and Constellation Cup (2017,2018,2019,2024). Janis is also a retired International Umpire Awardee.
Alan Anderson (Appointed, March 2024)	Alan has vast experience from working with Europe Netball and England Netball within various roles, including managing the Europe Netball Umpiring Scheme from 2009–2017, Head of Officiating from 2009-2013 and then Director of Officiating for the Europe Netball Board from 2013-2019, and previously working as an Umpire tutor at England Netball. Alan is also currently World Netball’s Officiating Coordinator for Europe where he assists the International Officiating Manager (IOM) in facilitating the pathway to International Officiating.
Gareth Fowler (Appointed, March 2024)	Gareth Fowler is a current International Umpire Awardee (IUA) and has been since 2017 officiating at two Netball World Cups, a FAST5 Netball World Series and a Commonwealth Games. The New Zealand based official has a strong understanding of the international umpiring landscape, and from his long-term employment with the government in senior management, has vast experience in contributing to delivering strategic outcomes and strong leadership skills. Gareth is keenly involved in umpire development in his local netball region and is a Netball New Zealand service award holder for his contribution to umpiring.
Josh Bowring (Appointed, March 2024)”	Josh Bowring is a current International Umpire Awardee (IUA) and has been since 2009. In this time Josh has officiated at numerous international test series and tournaments, including two Netball World Youth Cups, three Netball World Cups two FAST5 Netball World Series’ and three Commonwealth Games. Josh’s background in human resources, has seen him previously involved in change management projects and reviewing policies and procedures, all of which will assist with his role on the Officiating Advisory Panel.
Dr Carmeta Douglin (Appointed, March 2024)	Dr Carmeta Douglin has a Doctorate of Public Health and is the President of World Netball Member, Barbados Netball Association Inc. She has previously held the role of World Netball Officiating Coordinator for Americas and outside of netball Dr Douglin has many transferable leadership and communication skills from her time working at the United Nations.
Joan Yuliani (Appointed, March 2024)	Joan Yuliani is a current International Umpire Awardee (IUA) and has been since 2015 where she has umpired at a Netball World Youth Cup and a Netball World Cup. Yuliani is also a World Netball INUA Testing Panel (ITP) Cadet and part of the Officials Representative Group (ORG). Yuliani also has experience in Performance Pathways Management from her role at the National Youth Sports Institute and has contributed to Sport Singapore’s CoachSG initiatives – focusing on grassroots to high-performance coach development with a specialisation in the character and leadership domain.
Jenny Fissenden (Appointed, December 2024)	Jenny Fissenden is a current Members of the World Netball (WN) Officiating Advisory Panel (OAP) and is also an International Talent Identified Umpire (ITID), working towards her International Umpire Award (IUA). Jenny has also been part of the officiating team in the UK’s Netball Super League since 2018.
Christina Barrow (Appointed, January 2022)	Christina is currently the World Netball International Officiating Manager delivering the strategic goals and the operational requirements for World Netball Officiating, holding that role since 2015. Christina has a commercial background, previously working in a senior project management role for a multinational technology company, and holds an Honours Degree in Business Studies from the University of Central Lancashire, a Master’s Certification in Project Management from the Stevens Institute of Technology, USA and is a PRINCE2 Certified Practitioner. With a real passion for netball and in particular officiating, Christina is completing a MSc in Performance Enhancements in Sports Officiating and holds the Europe Netball A Award, actively umpiring for the England Netball National Premier League. She also holds the England Netball Match Bench Official Award, being a part of the officials at International and Vitality Netball Superleague matches, and is a qualified Tutor, delivering England Netball Officiating courses. She has had Executive Committee experience at a netball club level fulfilling the roles of both Secretary and Development and Umpiring Officer.

World Netball (WN) highlights the importance of working collaboratively with those that live and breathe netball every day in order to develop the sport, and as such established The Voice of the Athlete Working Group (VOA WG) in 2021.

The VOA WG consisted of current international athletes with at least 3-years’ international playing experience and each athlete was endorsed by their Member/Regional Federation or Executive Board. The athletes were selected to ensure representation across all five WN Regions and across teams ranked 1-5, 6-20, and 21+ in the WN World Rankings.

You can find out about the athletes that made up the group in the table below.

The VOA WG worked together throughout 2021 and 2022 meeting online on numerous occasions to determine a suitable framework for the future Athletes Advisory Commission (AAC), which will be established following recommendations by the VOA WG to the WN Board.  

In 2022 the Board approved the VOA WG’s recommendation that the Chair of the future AAC should sit on the WN Board, bringing the athletes voice to the centre of our decision making.

Following on from this, at Congress 2023, Stacey Francis-Bayman was appointed as the first WN Athlete Director and has now been tasked with setting up the AAC and its structures, following the recommendations of the VOA WG, which she was part of.

WN will keep you updated on the progress of this.

The World Netball Event Qualification Working Group 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 reference to proposing an appropriate qualification process for the teams who will be invited to participate at the NWC2027 and NWYC2029.

Responsibilities

The responsibility of the WNEQ WG is to assist the Board with:
• Considering questions raised by Members at Congress 2019 and Congress 2021 regarding the qualification method for the NWC deployed in NWC2019 and earlier tournaments.
• Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the qualification method for NWYC2017, NWC2019, NWC2023 and NWYC2025 in progress and determine if this method enabled/will enable the events to meet their objectives.
• Review the documents relating to the NWC2019 draw format consultation with Members carried out in 2016-2017;
• Using the principles and objectives for the NWC and NWYC qualification processes as agreed by the WN Board;
• Consider options for NWC/NWYC qualification and make recommendations to the WN Board on the preferred method for 2027 and beyond;
• Explore qualification options from other appropriate sports codes;
• Consult with WN Members, Regions, Committees and technical panels as appropriate;
• Consider the impact of the qualification method on

o all relevant stakeholders including athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, event organisers, funders and commercial partners;
o WN World Rankings;
o the international event calendar and the international competition structure for high and lower ranked teams as well as emerging nations;
o the commercial opportunities for WN, Members and Regions; and
• any other matters pertaining to the successful delivery of the NWC/NWYC that impacts or are impacted by the qualification method.
• Consider learnings derived and whether this should affect the qualification processes for other events such as the FAST5 Netball World Series and Commonwealth Games.

View the full Terms of Reference