‘A slap in the face’ – Gibson

Former Black Sticks goalkeeper Amelia Gibson says the Hockey New Zealand review is ‘‘a slap in the face’’ because it has not been released to review participants.

Gibson, who earned 63 caps between

2010-2017, laid a complaint about alleged mistreatment with Hockey NZ, who issued a statement last August, saying it had ‘‘received one complaint from a third party and the legal advice provided to us at the time was that it did not warrant further action’’.

Hockey NZ – under pressure from the Hockey Players Association – launched a review last September into the Black Sticks. It released a three-and-a-half page summary of the review on Monday that did not go into specific details, nor were the full findings shared with interviewees or the Players’ Association.

That has frustrated Gibson, who told 1News yesterday that the current and former players ‘‘need closure’’.

‘‘For me, personally, I do feel like it’s a slap in the face not to see something you’ve been a part of when you are trying to make changes for a healthy environment.’’

Seventy per cent of interviewees – who had played for the Black Sticks between 2016 and

2018 – had serious concerns about the environment, the review said.

Gibson said: ‘‘That statistic speaks volumes for itself.’’

‘‘As a player, it’s really hard to put your name to something and be out there when you know that your career’s on the line.’’

Gibson said she just wants ‘‘closure’’. ‘‘I want this to be over. Enough players, current and past, have been dragged through enough.’’ place finish at the World Cup last July. Hardly a hanging offence.

Some former players publicly pointed the bone at Hager, but seven former internationals issued a statement rejecting the notion of a ‘‘negative environment’’.

One former player told Stuff that while the coach is ultimately in charge, ‘‘the girls drive the environment too’’.

Black Sticks co-captains Sam Charlton and Stacey Michelsen praised Hager at the time of his departure. So it could be assumed he still had the support of the senior leadership group.

Again, the public does not know because Hockey NZ refuses to say.

The Dew review found Hockey NZ had not done enough to respond to concerns about the Black Sticks environment, or ensure player welfare was adequately considered.

Again, there is an alarming lack of specifics.

Bignell has said Hockey NZ is ‘‘deeply sorry’’ about the Black Sticks situation and conceded ‘‘while our systems clearly need strengthening, so do our relationships’’.

The blowtorch must now go on Bignell, his board and management team.

What accountability did Hockey NZ chief executive Ian Francis – a staffer since 2011 – have? Or high performance manager Paul MacKinnon? What about Sean Dancer, who has been coaching the Black Sticks since Hager’s departure, after five years as his assistant?

During 1976 Olympic gold medallist Ramesh Patel’s long reign as CEO, Hockey NZ was acknowledged as one of New Zealand sport’s best-run national bodies.

Hockey’s list of luminaries includes some of the most respected people in New Zealand sport – including Patel, International Olympic Committee member Barry Maister, his brother Selwyn, and former New Zealand captain and coach Pat Barwick, to name just a few. Perhaps it’s time for Hockey NZ to turn to them to navigate a way through the minefield.

Bignell and Francis can bang on about hockey’s positives but after own goals like this, who could blame Glenn for freezing his $2 million Black Sticks donation?