World Netball appoints new chair
Former Netball New Zealand high-performance umpire Fay Meiklejohn has been named as the new Rules Advisory Panel Chair, the sport’s global governing body announced this week. She will replace Cheryl Danson OBE, who will step down at the end of August after 17 years in the role.
The panel is responsible for advising the CEO and board and working with them to support the development and implementation of agreed priorities in the Strategic Plan, particularly in relation to supporting the development of the rules of netball.
Meiklejohn brings a depth of netball knowledge, leadership, communication and decision-making skills to the panel, both from netball-specific positions as a current member of WN’s International Netball Umpire Award Testing Panel and Officials Representative Group and outside of netball as an Associate Principal at the largest school in Australasia.
“I am honoured and thrilled to be appointed chair of the World Netball Rules Advisory Panel. With a lifelong love of officiating and a deep passion for netball, I’m excited to lead this work at a global level,” Meiklejohn commented on her appointment.
“It will be a privilege to collaborate with member associations and fellow panels to interpret, review, and shape the rules that underpin the way our game is played and understood globally. I am committed to thoughtful, robust, and inclusive leadership that ensures the rules evolve with clarity, fairness, and in alignment with World Netball’s strategic direction.”
WN President Dame Liz Nicholl DBE honoured the outgoing chair for her instrumental impact on the sport, most recently leading the rules review and implementation of the Rules of Netball 2024. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cheryl for her invaluable contribution to netball, and more specifically her leadership and dedication to the Rules Advisory Panel.”
“Cheryl has held many administrative and leadership roles within netball, both at a world level, and at England Netball and Europe Netball and has worked tirelessly to ensure our game is played with fairness and governed with integrity.” WN also highlighted that they will begin the recruitment for new RAP Members later this year, with more information to be made available on their website and social channels.
