Sport NZ seeks public views on sport integrity

Sport NZ has launched nationwide public consultation on its review into sport integrity, calling on anyone involved in sport to share their thoughts on a range of integrity issues through an online survey that will be open for the next six weeks.

“There’s no question New Zealanders love sport, but we also know that the integrity of sport is increasingly threatened at grassroots and elite levels by issues such as sideline behaviour, failure to protect children, match-fixing, corruption and doping,” says Sport NZ CEO Peter Miskimmin.

“There are already various controls in place at different levels of the sporting sector to address these. This review is about determining whether these measures are sufficiently robust and appropriate, so that any weaknesses can be addressed to ensure our sport remains clean, fair, and safe and enjoyable for everyone.”

Mr Miskimmin encourages anyone involved in sport to have their say through the online survey or by making a written submission.

“Research indicates that sport creates happier, healthier people, better connected communities, and a stronger New Zealand. We can’t afford for there to be integrity issues which discourage New Zealanders from participating in sport and realising the many benefits it offers," says Mr Miskimmin.

“That’s why we need as many people as possible to contribute to this review.”

The online survey and a Sport NZ discussion document are available at sportnz.org.nz/integrity. The survey opens today and runs through to 11 December. Members of the public can complete any or all of six survey modules, each of which should take around 15 minutes to complete. Those modules are:
• Organisational culture, whistleblowing, and the institutional arrangements for sport integrity in New Zealand
• Member protection
• Integrity issues in children’s sport, including at secondary school
• Anti-Doping
• Protecting against corruption
• Protecting against match-fixing.
Sport NZ will analyse survey responses and written submissions before making recommendations on priority areas for further work to its Board in early 2019.

Also forming part of the Sport Integrity Review is a stocktake of elite athlete rights and welfare, which commenced in June. The findings of this are expected to be released next month.

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