Netball: Off-court bid by Australia to block star

By RICHARD BOOCK

Australian netball authorities are as mad as a cut snake over New Zealand's plans to play star goal-shoot Irene van Dyk at next year's Commonwealth Games.

Netball New Zealand have applied through the National Olympic Committee for dispensation to select van Dyk and formidable Fijian goal-keep Vilimaina Davu in their team for Manchester, something Netball Australia chief executive Pam Smith believes should be declined.

Only days after van Dyk led the Silver Ferns to their second consecutive runaway win over Australia, Smith switched the focus to off-court issues, saying she hoped New Zealand would abide by the Commonwealth Games rules, even if that meant they could not select their sharp-shooting star.

"We are not protesting at this stage but at the same time we would hope that all netball countries adhered to the principle of abiding by the rules," she said yesterday.

"We are aware that South Africa isn't too happy about this either, and from anyone's point of view it's not good for netball if we all start picking players from other countries."

Commonwealth Games eligibility rules require competitors to have at least three years' citizenship in the country they intend to represent, which - in the case of New Zealand - leaves van Dyk and Davu about four months short of being eligible.

However, recently appointed Olympic Committee chief executive Barry Maister confirmed yesterday that applications for dispensation had been lodged with regard to both van Dyk and Davu, and he had been advised by his office that both were likely to be approved.

Van Dyk and Davu have already satisfied New Zealand's domestic criteria for the Games by living here for more than 18 months, but even if they receive dispensation from the federation office in London, they still have to seek clearances from their former countries of residence.

"We've applied to the Commonwealth Games Federation for dispensation and from what I've heard so far, I would be surprised if there were too many problems," Maister said.

"We have also written to both the South African and Fijian netball authorities seeking clearances for the respective players - and only yesterday sent follow-up notices."

Van Dyk, who immigrated from South Africa at the start of last year, said at the time that she wanted to raise her children in a safer environment and that she had fallen in love with New Zealand after touring here several times.

Davu opted to leave Fiji last year after the George Speight-led coup.

However, Smith suggested the criteria for granting dispensation should be far more strict and that the issue was an area of concern for several countries apart from Australia.

"I know, and my board agrees with me on this, that if Australia had to resort to bringing in players from overseas then we would have some serious problems."

Netball New Zealand chief executive Shelley McMeekin said yesterday that it was ludicrous to suggest her organisation was not playing by the rules. It was going through official channels and processes as set out by the Commonwealth Games Federation.

"We are working to the letter of the law, and that's why the NOC is handling this," she said. "To suggest we're trying to do something different is incorrect.

"There is plenty of precedent for this and Australia has used it in the past, just as many other countries have."

In fact, she said, Netball New Zealand had just given approval to England to pick former Silver Fern and Otago shoot Jo Steed, despite the fact that the player has not satisfied the three-year residency qualification in her adopted country.