NZ after 16 medals at Tokyo Olympics
New Zealand will be tasked with the biggest medal haul in history at the 2020 Olympics in Japan.
Sport New Zealand, in briefing papers for new Sports Minister Grant Robertson, set 16 medals as a target for Tokyo.
“Our medal targets for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are 16-plus Olympic (with a focus on gold medals) and 10-14 Paralympic gold medals,” said the briefing paper.
The target is based on the recordsetting performance in Rio — where New Zealand gained 18 medals — and also the increasing investment in the sector, with High Performance Sport New Zealand set to plough $250 million into top echelon sport during this Olympic cycle.
However, in the same briefing Sport NZ warn it will be a challenge to continue the cycle of success, which has seen improvements at every Games since Athens in 2004.
“Our current level of international sporting success could be hard to sustain into the future,” said the report, “as other larger countries continue to increase their investment into high performance sports significantly.”
The Rio success was a 38 per cent increase on London 2012 and four above the medal target of 14. Medals were achieved across nine sports, more than any previous Games, while four sports managed to win more than one medal in Brazil.
On the flip side of medal success, Sport NZ is considering a review into sport integrity as concerns grow over doping, match-fixing, corruption and other issues.
The crown entity, which is respon- sible for the leadership of the sport and recreation sector, confirmed its focus in a 32-page document prepared for Robertson.
“Globally the value of sport has been undermined in recent years by doping, match-fixing and other forms of corruption,” said the briefing.
“More recently events here at home, including those which led to New Zealand Rugby’s Respect and Responsibility Review, suggest there are wider integrity issues which could impact on participation that also warrant attention. These include things like player welfare and child protection, as well as wider diversity and inclusion matters.”
New Zealand Rugby’s exhaustive review was undertaken after a series of high profile off field incidents in the second half of 2016.
There was the Chiefs’ stripper affair — where the gravity of the incident was exacerbated by the official response to it — and Wellington Rugby’s contracting of Losi Filipo despite him facing four charges of serious assault the previous year.
There was also All Black Aaron Smith’s infamous toilet tryst at Christchurch Airport, and a Mid Canterbury player being arrested on a charge of sexual assault.
NZ Rugby’s nine-month review generated a 164-page report, which set six aspirational goals as well as a series of short, medium and long term actions.
The briefing paper revealed Sport NZ is likely to commit to a wideranging inquiry into sport integrity.
“Sport NZ is currently scoping a Review of Sport Integrity to better understand these issues and ensure both government and the sector are responding appropriately.”