Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter

RHONE

The Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) has until Friday to respond to an International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) request to offer to host next year's World Netball Championships (WNC).

In an interview with The Gleaner yesterday, IFNA President, Molly Rhone, explained that she would be sticking to her promise of coming to a decision about the WNC by Christmas.

"We have said we will make a statement to the media by Christmas, which is Friday," Rhone told The Gleaner.

This means that Jamaica, New Zealand and England - with Australia pulling out yesterday - will have to make a decision about hosting the tournament by that time.

"Since we'll be making a statement before Christmas, the countries have until that time to give an answer," explained Rhone.

The deadline will put Jamaica's attempt at hosting the tournament under severe pressure, as the association is strapped for cash.

No definitive response

However, JNA president, Marva Bernard, said her organisation is working at it but failed to give any definitive response to the possibility that Jamaica could be hosting the tournament for the second consecutive occasion.

"We are working on it and I can't say more than that at this point," noted Bernard in a telephone interview with The Gleaner yesterday.

Bernard has said, though, that having hosted the last championships would work in Jamaica's favour.

"Remember that we hosted the World Netball Champion-ships so hosting a world class competition in a short period of time in terms of facilities and things like that would not be our problem," she said.

Sponsors a concern

"Our concern at the moment is to find sponsors who will do it," Bernard added.

At this point IFNA have not said they will provide financial aid to the country hosting the competition, but has indicated that it would be a difficult prospect for the organisation.

"Everybody in the world knows that IFNA is not a wealthy association by any stretch of the imagination. I don't want to comment on that (funding the host country) because that is a decision the board will have to make," said Rhone.

What is certain, is that there is the possibility the games will have to be pushed back from the original date and the tournament could be delayed until 2008.

"I can't speak about what will happen if nobody is able to host these championships next year, but people have a time frame to put an answer on the table. Now, if it were that nobody could host it then we'd have to look at the alternatives," said Rhone.

"As of now, the board has made no decision apart from asking four teams to host a championships in 2007 but if it can't be, it can't be. But we haven't heard from everybody," she added.