Rhone

KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC):

Netball's world governing is overwhelmed with the number of responses to its invitation for countries to take part in the World Youth Championship from July 14 to 25 next year in the Cook Islands.

As a result, the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) has indicated it may need to extend the number of days or invite two additional countries to the championship.

IFNA boss Molly Rhone of Jamaica disclosed that so far 22 countries - two more than the world body had agreed at its last board meeting in Singapore earlier this month - had indicated their interest in participating in the Championship before the cut-off date for entries on July 31 this year.

"We had said we didn't want the WYC to go on for more than 10 days, including the travel dates," she told CMC Sports. "We wanted to make sure we're not playing for more than seven days because it's hard on the players' bodies to be playing every day for (much longer)."

There is no qualification system for the WYC and participating teams must pay their own airfare and accommodation while the host country provides ground transportation.

Six new teams - Namibia, Kenya, India, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and Malawi - as well as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, United States, Barbados, Malaysia, Samoa, Fiji, Australia, Singapore, Northern Ireland, England, Wales, hosts Cook Islands and defending champions New Zealand have so far entered the championship.

Qualifying system

Rhone noted that if none of the countries dropped out, then the world governing body may need to ask two more countries to participate to make groupings for the tournament more balanced with countries divided into four groups of six, instead of the four groups of five the association had planned on.

IFNA introduced a qualifying system for the last World Netball Championship last November in Auckland and only 16 teams can now qualify for the senior tournament. Prior to that, all teams needed to do was indicate their interest and pay the requisite fees to enter.

Rhone acknowledged a qualifying system may also need to be introduced for future youth championships, but she was pleased with the response despite the logistical challenge.

"It's a great problem to have," she said. "I'm happy to have this many teams who want to participate because it means the interest in netball is high."

Meanwhile, Scotland and Samoa have expressed an interest in hosting the 2013 World Youth Championship and their proposal will be discussed at the IFNA council meeting in Cook Islands during the championship.

"So few countries have two venues, most have single venues, so when they are bidding, they need to know what they are bidding for," she said, adding that at least 16 teams must enter for any IFNA-sanctioned World Championship to go ahead.

New Zealand won the last WYC title following a 53-39 victory over England in the American city of Fort Lauderdale three years ago.