Netball

Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball (680 to 710 millimetres (27 to 28 in) in circumference) through the defender's goal ring (380 millimetres (15 in) in diameter mounted 3.05 metres (10.0 ft) high to a goal post at each end of the court) while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own goal ring. It is one of a few sports created exclusively for women and girls and remains primarily played by them, on indoor and outdoor courts, especially in schools and most popularly in the Commonwealth of Nations.

Netball
Malawi (red) playing Fiji (blue)
at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Highest governing bodyWorld Netball
First played1897 (1897), England, United Kingdom
Registered players561,000+
Characteristics
ContactLimited
Team membersSeven on-court players per team
  • All-female teams
  • All-male teams
  • Mixed teams
Type
EquipmentNetball, bib
VenueNetball court
Presence
OlympicIOC-recognised federation, 1995
World Games19851993

According to World Netball, the sport is played by more than 20 million people in more than 80 countries. World Netball comprises more than 70 national teams organized into five global regions. Major domestic leagues in the sport include the Netball Superleague in Great Britain, Suncorp Super Netball in Australia and the ANZ Premiership in New Zealand. Four major competitions take place internationally: the quadrennial World Netball Championships, the Commonwealth Games, and the yearly Quad Series and Fast5 Series. In 1995, netball became an International Olympic Committee recognised sport federation, but it has not been played at the Olympics.

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