Netball: Cathrine Latu appeal was only 335 days late

Catherine Latu of the Mystics (L). Photo / Getty Images

As far as legal and administrative blunders in sport go, Netball New Zealand's handling of the Cathrine Latu affair is hard
to top.

There have been some beauties in New Zealand sport over the years - the Nathan Fien 'grannygate' affair in league; the NZRU's bumbled attempts to cut teams from the NPC and New Zealand Cricket casting Shane Bond into international exile all come to mind. Now Netball NZ CEO Raelene Castle's crew can join that distinguished list.

This was Castle after Latu had been controversially named in the team: "We wouldn't have gone this far down the road unless we thought we had a very strong case. That's the legal advice we've had and we believe
we're putting a very strong case forward and are hopeful of a positive outcome."

However, the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the Latu appeal. The rules were that Netball NZ needed to lodge their application within 21 days of the original IFNA decision. Instead, it was submitted over
a year later.

One presumes that Netball NZ employs a legal team, or engaged the services of lawyers, but somehow the 21-day stipulation wasn't spotted.

It seems a simple deadline, and the CAS, based in a country where timing is everything, were not going to budge and leave themselves open to a further appeal from IFNA's
legal team.

Compiling a case within three weeks is harsh, but they are sport's supreme court and set the rules.

You wouldn't turn up to the Privy Council in London a day late and expect to be heard.

A frustrated Castle has expressed her disappointment and said there would be an independent review to "make sure we know if there was anything we missed".

Apart from this oversight, the Latu case was always based on a extremely flimsy precedent - that of Vilimaina Davu being allowed to play for Fiji in 2007, in the twilight of her career. It was obvious that there was no comparison with the Latu case on several levels, and that is why IFNA made their decision in this way.

Not to mention that New Zealand had already benefitted
from a lax interpretation of the rules in their importation of Davu, Irene van Dyk and Leana de Bruin.

Meanwhile, Ruth Aitken now has to choose Latu's replacement, from players she initially rejected.
With Grace Rasmussen's injury, it would appear that Anna Thompson, Daneka Wipiiti and Julianna Naoupu are the contenders.

Naoupu is an exciting talent and has the advantage of appearing in at least two playoff games for the Magic in upcoming weeks. But she has faded under pressure on occasion this year and is probably one for the future.

Wipiiti is the incumbent. She is a natural talent but has failed to perform this year. Her selection would mean a lack
of variety in the Ferns attack, joining fellow tall timber van Dyk, Griffin and Tutaia.

For that reason, Thompson probably has the edge.

She has struggled in a poor Tactix side and still has a tendency to drift in and out
of games. But she has decent international experience and offers mobility as well as genuine vision.