Netball New Zealand boss Jennie Wyllie blasts World Netball after Jamaican tour farce

Ameliaranne Ekenasio of the Silver Ferns in action against Jamaica. Photo / Photosport

Netball New Zealand would have lost over $400,000 were it not for creative thinking amid the chaos of the farcical Jamaica tour last year.

The Sunshine Girls have been fined $9800 by World Netball for failing to arrive on time for their three-test Taini Jamison Trophy series with the Silver Ferns.

The players were stranded in Kingston after not receiving their passports from Washington after visas were issued.

The Hamilton leg was canned, with an extra hastily arranged fixture in Auckland resulting in a two-game series against a makeshift Jamaican outfit.

The tests at Eventfinda Stadium and Pulman Arena — which New Zealand won by 25 and 40 goals — mitigated some of the lost revenue.

World Netball slapped Netball Jamaica with the fine and docked them ranking points after an investigation.

NNZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie inquired how the money will be spent and whether any could be directed their way, but has had no response from the governing body.

Wyllie said they have received zero compensation and are out of pocket.

“We remain having borne the brunt of the financial impact of the actions of Netball Jamaica and the impact it had on us and our fans. We had sold out test matches people wanted to attend, who had made bookings and travel plans. That financial ripple effect is quite large.

“The fine is certainly not going to touch the sides of the deficit we’ve incurred, but it would have been a really good show of goodwill towards acknowledging the impact on us.”

Netball NZ CEO Jennie Wyllie. Photo / Photosport

Wyllie said the lost gate sales were the main economic blow, given the two games in Hamilton did not go ahead, with one relocated to Auckland.

The chief executive has blasted World Netball for the ambiguity which she believes exists in their policies.

Wyllie said the investigation and subsequent ruling from World Netball is not good enough.

She said there are several areas in which the governing body can tidy up their protocols.

“It’s really good for the game if they’re able to raise the standard of their policies and procedures and raise the expectations that are put on nations when they make commitments to one another. That will go a long way to rectifying and ensuring this doesn’t happen again.”

Wyllie said Netball New Zealand is always running a tight ship financially, and while they are sound from a participation standpoint, they must remain monetarily vigilant.

“Certainly last year was impacted by that financial loss, so we therefore had to make other really tough decisions in order to balance the books and maintain some future viability.”