Celebrity Support

Dame Kelly Holmes, Double Olympic gold medallist

"I'm delighted to be supporting netball's bid to become part of the Olympic Games. Every athlete dreams of performing on the greatest stage of all, and it's great to see a sport with such an ambition to compete at the highest level.

“Netball is one of the most popular team games for women in the world, and is already a core part of the Commonwealth Games. In many ways I'm surprised it's not already included in the Olympics. To include netball would have a huge impact on women everywhere by giving them more role models to aspire to, and encouraging them to play sport.”

Bryan Robson OBE, Former England and Manchester United football captain

“I’m delighted to lend my support to the netball Olympic bid. I know what an important role sport plays socially for people, and we should be encouraging women to compete in top level sport at the highest level they can.

“Having captained my country at a football World Cup – in my opinion the ultimate goal for a footballer – we should be providing opportunities for women to play on the greatest stage too, and with netball that stage should be the Olympics.

“Certainly with the number of people in this country, and also abroad, that play netball, it’s deserving of a place at the Olympics, and it would certainly get my vote as a demonstration sport at the London 2012 Olympics.

“With two daughters of my own, I’ve seen them both play netball at school, and with an Olympic target to aim for it will encourage more young girls to continue playing the sport in the hope of one day winning an Olympic gold medal.

“Obviously Northern Thunder, who play in the Superleague, are based in Manchester – a place so close to my heart – and with players competing at the Olympics it will assist the growth and awareness of clubs like Northern Thunder across the whole of the UK.”

Jon Wilkin, St Helens and England rugby league player

“I’m fully supportive of netball’s Olympic bid. Like rugby league, netball is played and has its roots in communities. It plays a vital part socially and the number of people participating each week speaks for itself.

“I’ve actually spent time training with the England team as part of a Great Britain camp we had, and I was hugely impressed by how talented the players were. It possesses similar attributes to our sport too, in its speed, passing, handling skills, and team work. I have a mutual appreciation for all sports men and women, and feel that netball should be given the chance on the Olympic stage.”

Robbie Paul, Salford City Reds and former New Zealand international rugby league player

“When I grew up in New Zealand I played quite a bit of netball and it’s a fantastic sport. It’s very popular around the world, as I’ve seen further since coming to England, and I feel it’s only right that it should be allowed to compete at an Olympic level.

“The sport is becoming even bigger in this country with the growth of the netball Superleague, and increased exposure on TV, and participation at the Olympics would be a further boost to the sport and all associated with it.”

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