Dumisani Chauke hoping to see netball grow into Olympic sport

According to the Olympic Charter, one of the conditions for a sport to be accepted in the Games is that a women’s sport must be widely practiced in no fewer than 40 countries and on three continents. 

Speaking exclusively to SABC Sport, Chauke says she has seen some encouraging signs in the growth of the game since the World Cup on South African soil two years ago, but urges more participation around the world for the IOC’s consideration.

"I think [netball has] grown, and obviously growth is subjective and we all view it differently, but I think it's grown – the gap is slowly but surely narrowing between the top countries and the rest," said Chauke.

"I don't want to be too specific, but the margins are becoming smaller and smaller, which means there are teams that are improving, and there are other teams catching up.

"And it's important to always challenge yourself against the best – you want to be competitive at that level, so, in my opinion, I think things are turning around.

"We also need more countries in Africa to play netball, we need more countries in the whole world to actually play netball because that will also assist in our case to eventually one day being an Olympic code, so the more people who play netball, the better."

Having seen the Proteas being taken over by head coach Jenny van Dyk and assistant Zanele Mdodana, Chauke is confident the team will soon crack into the top four-ranked positions.

"I think two years from now we'll have a different conversation, I mean it's been a while now that South Africa has been number five, and the coaches – whoever comes in, or even now with Jenny and Zanele, are working to crack that top four," she added.

"We just want to get into that top four, and it's going to happen, it's going to come."

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