REACTION to the International Island Games Association’s decision to discard the sports of netball, hockey and fencing, has loudly condemned the decision.
Netball has been included only once in the Island Games, as a demonstration sport in the 1993 Isle of Wight Games, with the Jersey team winning gold.
‘Oh no!’ was netball development officer Linda Andrews’ reaction to the news.
‘It’s just so disappointing for all the girls who are working so hard.
And we work so hard to promote the sport and give the girls as much as we can in terms of competition and coaching.
It would be so good to play off-Island against new, international teams.
‘I don’t understand how some of the other sports get into the Games with so few participants.
Netball is such a popular game.
There were loads of other netball teams competing in the Isle of Wight, and it was voted to be the best spectator sport.
what else can we do? We thought we stood a good chance of being accepted, but obviously we were wrong.
We just want to be allowed to have a go.’ Hockey has never appeared on an Island Games programme, even as a demonstration sport - and certainly won’t in the forseeable future.
Hockey development officer Shelagh Herbert said: ‘Any opportunity that hockey has to participate in events off-Island has to be welcomed.
As development officer, I look forward to a time when hockey can be included.’ With fencing a core sport in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, the president of the Jersey Fencing Union, Marcia Lee, said she was very disappointed to hear the news.
‘Its inclusion in the Island Games would have been a catalyst for development of the sport in the Island and would have given Jersey junior fencers something to aim for.
International competition at a level where we can compete equally is always to be welcomed.
It’s not as though we would have huge teams or need any specialist venue.
We bring all our equipment with us and all we need is electricity for scoring and we can as easily use battery boxes.
We will keep on lobbying for inclusion.
It’s a shame but we are not the only sport affected.’
Article posted on 15th July, 2004 - 12.00am
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