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Potchefstroom - Netball's international controlling body, the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) has come out in support of Netball South Africa's (NSA's) transformation policy.
According to the policy, teams participating in the Spar national netball championships, are required to maintain a ratio of seven black and five white, or seven white and five black players in a squad of 12.
In addition, the teams are required to have a minimum quota of 5/2 on the court at all times, although a three/four split is considered the ideal. Teams that are fully compliant are awarded an additional six goals.
Teams registering for the tournament on Sunday were awarded points according to their compliance with NSA's transformation policy. In the womens A-section, two teams were awarded five points for full compliance, five were awarded four points for an 8/4 split, one team was awarded three points, one two, and one all-black team received no points.
Responding on Thursday to questions about the policy from a South African newspaper columnist, IFNA spokesperson, Urvasi Naidoo, said her body was the world governing body of the sport of netball, and in particular, its mandate was to regulate international netball competition and develop the sport on a global scale.
"It is up to each member country to determine policies for how the sport is run in their country," she said.
"It is also up to each member country to determine the selection criteria for their national teams. As long as a player is eligible to play for that country in accordance with IFNA regulations, then they will be accepted at IFNA sanctioned matches and IFNA tournaments."
She pointed out that according to IFNA world rankings, the South African national team was currently ranked number six in the world, compared with ninth in September 2008.
NSA vice president Blanche de la Guerre, said NSA was faced with the mammoth task of trying the correct the disadvantages of the past.
"The fact is NSA are faced with a unique situation, and however we approach it, we will attract criticism from certain quarters," she said.
"The system in place at the tournament has been used before with relative success and support from all. It may not be the perfect system, but it seems to be the fairest system to date.
"We must bear in mind certain regions have absolutely no white players available and some regions have few or no black players available.
"Strange as this may seem, it is a fact, and to penalise one team and not another for failing to meet quota requirements does not seem fair," said De la Guerre.
"However, NSA are attempting to encourage teams to do whatever it takes to bring balanced teams to the tournament and we encourage mixed teams in all regions.
"The quota system remains a thorn in almost everyone's flesh and has also been a bone of contention, but like it or not, we have to accept certain truths and realities where South Africa, South Africans and South African sport are concerned," she said.
"We have to help wherever and whenever we can. It may not meet with the approval of all concerned, but it has to be done. It is about growing the sport and membership, and discouraging players from certain regions to stop playing netball."
Earlier on Thursday, the transformation policy affected the outcome of a women's A-section match when Gauteng Central, an all black team, beat Boland by 41 goals to 39.
However, Boland were awarded six goals for compliance with the transformation policy, and thus won the match 45-41.
Ironically, on Wednesday, Boland fielded a 6/1 ratio for half of their match against Kenneth Kaunda (North West South), but Kaunda won the game comfortably and so the six points had no impact on the match.
