Two waste paper bins, one Olympic dream

Netball, a sport that traces its roots to basketball and was developed by teenagers in late-Victorian England, is being discussed as a potential addition to the Olympic programme for 2032. The game remains widely regarded as the sport’s great misunderstood "girly game" despite its history and evolution.

Originating from adaptations of basketball, netball emerged in late-Victorian England through the efforts of young people who reshaped aspects of the earlier game to create something distinct. Over time the sport established its own rules, positions and culture, which set it apart from its basketball beginnings. That heritage is often contrasted with the public perception encapsulated in the phrase "girly game". The suggestion that netball could appear at the 2032 Olympic Games has rekindled attention to those early developments.

The connection to basketball is a central part of the sport’s identity; fundamental concepts were taken and modified to suit a new format that placed different emphases on movement, spacing and player roles. Those changes, enacted by teenagers in that late-Victorian period, produced a sport with its own conventions and a distinctive style of play. These origins are frequently cited in historical accounts as a key moment in the sport’s separate evolution.

Public impressions have not always aligned with the game’s technical and competitive attributes. The label "girly game" has persisted in some circles and is often used to summarise misconceptions about who plays the sport and the level of athleticism involved. Such shorthand overlooks the organized structures, international competitions and dedicated athlete pathways that developed from the sport’s early adaptations.

The prospect of inclusion at the 2032 Olympic Games would represent a major milestone for a sport with modest Victorian beginnings and a contested public image. Discussion of Olympic status has returned focus to how the game’s past informs its present and potential future role on a global stage.

Whether selected for the 2032 programme or not, netball’s story—from its derivation from basketball and its development by teenagers in late-Victorian England to being tagged the sport’s great misunderstood "girly game"—remains a defining thread in its ongoing narrative.