Handling of player raised, says minister

Sports and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson says he has spoken to New Zealand Cricket about its handling of a controversial cricketer.

The minister said it was important that all governing sports bodies responded clearly when a player’s conduct fell short of its values.

NZ Cricket is standing by its management of Scott Kuggeleijn.

The cricketer was acquitted of rape after two trials in 2016 and 2017 but his attitude to consent and women during the trial has angered some Black Caps supporters and victim advocates, and they want NZ Cricket to make a public stand on the matter.

Kuggeleijn made his national debut last year but scrutiny has intensified this summer as he has appeared more frequently in the side.

Robertson, a keen Black Caps fan, told the Herald any decisions on who was selected for New Zealand cricket teams was entirely for NZ Cricket, and he would not comment on that.

“I know that New Zealand Cricket . . . has specific programmes [for its players] on respect, conduct and harassment,” he said.

He added: “In my opinion, it is vital that all sports bodies are clear about their responses when conduct by [their players] goes against the values they seek to uphold.

“I have spoken to NZ Cricket about [this situation] in that context.”

NZ Cricket’s public affairs manager, Richard Boock, yesterday said it felt it had handled the matter responsibly. Kuggeleijn was found not guilty two years ago and was not a New Zealand player at the time, he said.

Asked about concerns from victim advocates that NZ Cricket was minimising sexual violence by not addressing it further, Boock reiterated that the organisation did not want to relitigate the rape trial.

Victoria University researchers Anj Barton and Lynzi Armstrong, who specialise in sexual violence, said tactics used by Kuggeleijn and his lawyers at the trial showed why so few women reported sexual assault.

“Excerpts from this trial [reveal] the centrality of victim-blaming,” they wrote in a blog post.