‘Slap in face’ says former Black Stick
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 earned 63 caps between 2010 and 2017.
She 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 New Zealand Hockey Players Association – launched a review last September into the Black Sticks after coach Mark Hager sent an email to all team members criticising some players’ fitness following Commonwealth champions New Zealand’s disappointing 11th place at the 2018 Hockey World Cup.
The email – meant for another member of the management team – was sent in error.
Hockey NZ released a threeand-a-half page summary of the review on Monday.
It revealed 24 of 33 current and former Black Sticks interviewed by reviewer Maria Dew QC had ‘‘very serious concerns’’ about ‘‘a negative environment’’.
However, the review 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’’.
‘‘The Players Association said it’s quite hard for players to come forward and speak about what they’ve been through.
‘‘For me, 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.
‘‘Ultimately, for me, that’s why I came forward after I retired because I no longer had my career to keep fighting for.’’
Gibson said she just wants ‘‘closure’’.
‘‘I want this to be over. Enough players, current and past, have been dragged through enough.
‘‘The current team needs to be able to move forward. They’ve got an Olympics to go for next year. This is not what they need.
‘‘And, past players, we need closure.’’