South Africa's Liezel Wium wants netball's world body to step in and help resolve the crisis in her country.
A year out from the world championships Netball South Africa is in dire straits after the resignation of national coach Marlene Wagner and two executive board members.
Wium, who has been
a member of the side on and off since 2000, said South Africa were struggling and believed support from IFNA (the International Federation of Netball Associations) was needed.
Wium, who is holidaying in New Zealand following the test against the Silver Ferns, said the resignations of Wagner and board members Helene Botha and Bennie Saayman came as a shock. They followed a meeting of the National Council at which Wagner, who was not present, was criticised over the team's performance on its tour of Fiji and New Zealand.
The council was presented with a letter of complaint about the coach which was signed by 11 members of the team on the flight back from New Zealand. Wium was not on the plane to see the letter or sign it.
She acknowledges there was some unhappiness during the tour.
"I don't think it is about her as a coach. It is more the situation of netball in South Africa. We are struggling and the fact that she hasn't got an assistant coach is a big burden on her. I don't think it was fair on her the whole situation from the start."
Wium believes a lack of money is the biggest problem. The team doesn't have an assistant coach, permanent physiotherapist, regular training camps and even training programmes.
During the council meeting Wagner was also criticised for not sticking to the five-two racial mix in the last quarter of their first test against Fiji. Wium said the quota was never discussed during the tour.
"When you are on court you don't think about how many white and blacks are on court. You just play. We, as players, are long past the stage of black and white - we just play as one team. It [the quota] is still implemented so obviously the coach is aware of it. But it is hard for everyone. If you have injured players and you can't keep the quota what are you meant to do?"
She said Netball South Africa needed to find a coach and then ensure that coach had plenty of support.
