‘Chilling’ power imbalance
New Zealand’s high performance sports system needs a complete rethink to address the ‘‘chilling’’ power imbalance between athletes and sports organisations, an inquiry has found.
The findings of an independent inquiry into Cycling NZ (CNZ) and High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ), launched in wake of the suspected suicide of top sprint cyclist Olivia Podmore in August last year, were delivered to the public yesterday.
The 104-page report provided a ‘‘forthright look’’ at how CNZ has managed its high performance programme, detailing a culture of ‘‘medals before process’’, a lack of transparency and accountability around selection and recruitment, and an environment where gender biases are prevalent.
The review panel, led by Mike Heron QC and senior academic Sarah Leberman, also raised several operational concerns including Cycling NZ’s use of non-disclosure agreements and the lack of consideration around women’s health. The findings could have wide-ranging ramifications for how elite sport is run in this country.
CNZ chairperson Phil Holden and HPSNZ chief executive Raelene Castle both apologised for ‘‘unresolved trauma’’ experienced by top cyclists, including Podmore.
Deputy Prime Minister and Sports Minister Grant Robertson said in Wellington he reiterated his heartfelt apologies and condolences to the Podmore family, and vowed the report would spark action.
‘‘The report’s findings lay bare the need for meaningful change, and I am determined that we will see that. In particular, the need to ensure that sports administrators and HPSNZ are putting the mental health and wellbeing of athletes at the centre of their approach,’’ Robertson said.
Robertson said the system must achieve both wellbeing and high performance. ‘‘There is no tradeoff. There must be both. It is an issue that we need to take seriously, that most of the inquiries that we’ve had in recent times – here in New Zealand and issues raised globally – have involved female athletes…
‘‘When you look around the world at the likes of Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka, Ash Barty, we’re constantly seeing women in high performance sport placed under extreme pressure. We need to ensure that the support systems are there at every level.’’
While the findings and recommendations are limited to cycling’s high performance environment, the panel ‘‘strongly urged’’ HPSNZ to consider how some issues identified in the inquiry are present in other sports. ‘‘We received a significant number of comments to the effect that the recent tragedy within [Cycling NZ] could have happened within other NSOs,’’ the report read.
The panel called on sports leaders to re-evaluate some core foundations of the system, describing the current funding, centralisation, and athlete contracting models as ‘‘directly diminishing’’ athlete welfare.
While the inquiry has been ongoing, HPSNZ introduced a new system strategy in December 2021, which included a range of new athlete welfare measures, including for the first time adding athlete wellbeing provisions to its funding criteria.
However, the inquiry panel made clear they do not believe the changes go far enough. ‘‘While we acknowledge that recent changes to the funding model have attempted to spotlight wellbeing, those changes do not appear to be sufficient.’’
The panel called on CNZ and HPSNZ to take shared responsibility for the trauma athletes and other stakeholders still suffer as a result of issues that came to light in 2018.