Keven Mealamu Appointed to Drug Free Sport NZ Board

Former All Black great appointed to Drug Free Sport NZ Board

Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) is delighted to have secured the services of former All Black legend Keven Mealamu to the DFSNZ Board for a three year period from June 22.

Keven played for the All Blacks from 2002 through to the successful Rugby World Cup campaign in 2015 and was a key member of the All Black Leadership Group since 2004)

DFSNZ Board Chair Justice Warwick Gendall says that Keven has enormous mana in the New Zealand rugby and sporting communities.

“Keven is a visible leader in the Auckland community working with youth and schools particularly in South Auckland. He does much of this support work with his brother, Luke who was an Auckland Blues Super Rugby representative and a representative of Samoa in international rugby.

“I believe Keven will be able to bring to the Board a wealth of experience as a former elite athlete who is committed to integrity in high performance sport as well as the establishment and maintenance of high standards of conduct and values,” Justice Gendall says.

“These things, as well as important education initiatives, are consistent with the integrity objectives which underpin participation in all sport including anti-doping and Good Clean Sport goals.”

Keven will be another athlete voice on the DFSNZ Board together with long serving Board member Sarah Ulmer, Olympic gold medallist in Athens in 2004 who has been re-appointed to the Board for a further year.

Since retiring from all rugby two years ago, Keven has been contracted to NZ Rugby as an ambassador supporting the NZ Rugby commercial partner programme; a leader facilitating increased development of Auckland Rugby; and as a NZ Rugby representative promoting values in and support for community rugby initiatives particularly focussed on youth.

In 2016, Keven was appointed by NZ Rugby to its ‘Respect and Integrity Review Panel’, tasked to present findings and recommendations on how NZ Rugby might better promote respect and integrity across all its participants including players and support personnel.

ENDS.

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