The "Back the Bid" website is set to become the central point for the campaign, and contains background details and the latest news, alongside messages of support from various celebrities including Dame Kelly Holmes, former England football captain Bryan Robson and rugby league stars Jon Wilkin and Robbie Paul.

 

The new logo will be integrated into all activity and be present on court during televised games on Sky Sports.

 

The campaign to have netball included in the Olympics has gained momentum since England player Eboni Beckford-Chambers started the campaign with her facebook group "Bid to get netball in the 2012 Olympics" – the group now has nearly 30,000 members. 

 

Recent in-store activity from The Co-operative has added another 235,000 people in support of the campaign.

 

Debbie Robinson, director of food retail marketing at The Co-operative, said: “The Co-operative is fully behind the bid to have netball included in the Olympics, and we’re pleased to be able to give the bid its own identity.

 

“The website provides a central point for everyone to keep up to speed with the campaign as it really starts to gather momentum.

 

“We’re gaining support from all of the major netball playing nations including Australia and New Zealand, and obviously the internet breaks down any boundaries in distance for people to show their support.

 

“Netball is a community based sport which ties in perfectly with The Co-operative’s brand values, and we’re passionate that it should be played at the Olympic Games.”

 

Unfortunately, the earliest netball can be included in the Olympics is in 2020, when it could be up against cricket, which has also started a campaign to get the Twenty20 version of the sport included.

 

The programme for London 2012 was decided by the International Olympic Committee Session in Singapore in July 2005 when baseball and softball were controversially dropped but not replaced.

 

There are seven sports fighting it out to be included on the programme for 2016, when the Games will be held in either Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro or Tokyo.

 

The IOC will be able to choose from baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, squash and softball at its Session in Copenhagen in October 2009.

 

There are hopes that netball can be included as a demonstration in London but the IOC scrapped demonstration sports after the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

 

People can still register their support to netball’s Olympic bid by visiting www.netballolympicbid.com.