'Resilient' Maidenhead netball academy bounces back after Indian visa blow

A Maidenhead-based netball academy is ‘optimistic about next year’ after missing out on the Asian Netball Championships due to visa problems.

On October 18, Cosmopolitan Roses members were due to fly to Bangalore, India and compete against 16 other countries, but they didn’t receive approved Indian visas in time.

The players would have represented the Pakistan national netball team for the first time since forming it with the Pakistan Netball Federation in August – comprising mostly British Pakistanis ‘for the first time in history’.

Cosmopolitan Roses co-founder Sadia Hussain said they knew of the ‘complex’ Indian visa process for those with Pakistani heritage and said it was a ‘real shame’.

“Unfortunately, politics of whatever kind affected participation in an event that would have brought countries together,” she added.

“It was a big loss for the girls. They had been training all summer for this.”

Sadia hopes the World Netball Organisation and Asian Netball will carefully ‘consider host countries’ for future international competitions.

“It was a real missed opportunity, and it was the first time we’ve had this brilliant partnership with the Pakistan Netball Federation,” she said.

“Sport is about inclusion and there shouldn’t be any exclusion of countries because sport, regardless of politics, brings us all together.

“It was a real shame for us. This was a team that had never been formed before and formed by girls in the UK."

Sadia said they were ‘very well supported’ at home and abroad by the Indian community and the Indian and Pakistan netball federations writing ‘sentimental’ letters of support.

The Indian Government was contacted for comment by the Advertiser. 

“The players had put lots of effort into training, so they were gravely disappointed," Sadia said.

“Girls travel from quite far and in the Pakistan team, there are girls from Scotland, Birmingham, London, and Southampton.

“Organising the training, the camps, the coaches – a lot of effort goes into that.

“I suppose the girls' sportsmanship skills kicked in and they were quite resilient.

"They took it as it was but not as a failed opportunity because there are more opportunities to come.

“We are looking at other international tournaments next year so that investment and training hopefully won’t be lost. We will continue.”

Now the 'dust is settling', Sadia said the team are 'very optimistic' about 2025.

“There are some good opportunities for the next season internationally and here," she said.

"We’re looking at test series with countries and we’re also looking at possibly international tournaments for the Youth Asian (U21) Championships which could be held in South Korea in June 2025.

“Our collaboration with the Pakistan Netball Federation continues and that’s another great positive aspect in all of this.

"If the championship goes ahead, that will be our first time representing Pakistan from here."

Despite the disappointment of the Asian Netball Championships, the academy has scooped a national award win for tackling the underrepresentation of Asian and Muslim netball players over the past year. 

Cosmopolitan Roses took home the England Netball National One Prize for Inclusion 2024 on October 19 – one of 12 awards recognising those who ‘volunteer and make netball happen’. 

"We will continue to run our organisation in Berkshire, and run programmes for girls in school and Asian women in collaboration with Netball England," said Sadia.

"We would love to have more girls interested in playing – we’re trying to promote netball to South Asians but it's inclusive to all and everybody is welcome.

Cosmopolitan Roses runs weekly netball training courses on Thursdays at 7.30pm at Furze Platt Senior School.

Visit @cosmopolitanroses on Instagram for more information.