Netball: Latu sitting out eligibility battle

Cathrine Latu says her focus is on the Mystics until she hears otherwise. Photo / Brett Phibbs

She's the player at the centre of netball's latest eligibility battle, but Mystics shooter Cathrine Latu is blissfully unaware of the controversy her bid to play for the Silver Ferns has caused.

Latu has purposely chosen to stay out of the debate as Netball New Zealand fight to have the former Samoan international declared eligible to represent the Ferns at the July world championships.

She is only interested in the result, and until she has a definitive answer, Latu said her focus is solely on her season with the Mystics.

"I just need to keep my focus on the Mystics and put all my energy into that because as far as I know I'm not available to play for the Silver Ferns until the end of July, that is the way it has been for the past three years so I can't really pin my hopes on anything," said Latu.

"If anything was to happen between now and the world championships that would be amazing but I can't think about that until it actually happens."

Latu did not even know Netball New Zealand had taken the fight over her eligibility to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland until it was revealed in the Herald earlier this week.

Netball NZ's decision to seek the view of sport's highest judicial body is their latest play in an 18-month battle with IFNA.

IFNA rules state a player cannot represent two different countries at successive world tournaments. But Netball NZ argue Latu should be allowed to return to play for her country of birth following the precedent set by former Ferns defender Vilimaina Davu, who was granted exemption to play for Fiji at the 2007 world championships.

So far IFNA have rejected such arguments, forcing the national body to go to considerable effort and expense to fight the ruling at the Court of Arbitration.

Latu admits she finds it flattering that the national body are going to such trouble to get her into the side, but said there was a bigger cause at stake as well.

"It's nice to know you're wanted," said Latu.

"But they're also putting a lot of effort into it because it is something they strongly believe in - it's not just me it's the whole process about certain rules for certain players, so they are fighting a good cause."

While Latu is not pinning her hopes on being able to play at the world championships this year, she believes she will be ready to step up to the demanding Silver Ferns environment if she is granted the green light.

There is no doubt that Latu is capable of mercurial feats on the netball court, but concerns over her fitness and conditioning have dogged her throughout her career. However, Latu believes she has made improvements in this area.

"People that knew me maybe two years ago would know I did what I had to and nothing more. But I've grown up a lot since then, I've got a couple of opportunities and I've seen and experienced what it could be like."

She said being given the opportunity to attend a Silver Ferns training camp at the beginning of last year proved the turning point in the way she approached her preparation.

"When I got that chance to go into the Silver Ferns environment I just got annihilated and I just wanted to cry because I hurt so much. But that taste of things sort of opened my eyes as to where I need to get to and I'm sure if I was given that chance again now, I would survive it a lot better."