SYDNEY, Australia (CMC):

Australia's netball bosses confirmed yesterday that the country will be unable to offer to host the World Netball Championships (WNC) in July 2007.

Netball Australia Chief Executive Kate Palmer said that there are a number of factors preventing Australia from offering to host in 2007, following the decision to move the event away from Fiji.

"The time frame is too short to plan and deliver an event of World Championship standards," Palmer said.

Palmer confirmed Netball Australia is undertaking a major restructure along with relocating the Netball Australia headquarters from Sydney to Melbourne in early 2007.

"It is unlikely that we will have a full complement of staff until April 2007, which will have a significant impact on the operations and resources of the organisation," she said in a Netball Australia press release.

Decision soon

The International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) will make a decision soon on the venue for the World Championships.

Initial reports had suggested that Australia, New Zealand, England, and Jamaica were ready to offer to step in as substitute hosts.

Australia had been considered the likely replacement hosts but Palmer says Netball Australia would only consider hosting the tournament if it was delayed until 2008.

"If they can't find a suitable host, then we are willing to consider other alternatives, which might mean deferring the World Netball Championships for a year or two or even bringing forward the 2011 bid," she said.

The International Federation of Netball Associations announced on December 8 that it withdrew the WNC from Fiji, following the military coup on December 5.

Fiji should have hosted the Championships in Suva from July 10-21, 2007.

Three Caribbean teams - Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados - are booked to compete in the 16-team tournament for which New Zealand are defending champions.