New Zealand Olympic Committee Presents 2023 Annual Report

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) has presented its 2023 Annual Report at its General Assembly.

Representatives from the NZOC’s 55 member sports were in attendance as NZOC President Liz Dawson thanked the organisations for their commitment to Olympic and Commonwealth sport during 2023. 

“2023 was another huge year for the NZOC as we sent teams to two pre-elite Games and prepared for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as well as the Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics,” said Dawson. 

“The Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands and the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago were fantastic events, providing our athletes and support staff a great opportunity to experience a multi-sport environment, develop their skills and connect with our friends and neighbours across the Pacific and Commonwealth.” 

“During the year, we also built on our contribution to the Olympic Movement with the IOC, ANOC (Association of National Olympic Committees), and throughout Oceania. In particular supporting Oceania, we hosted the inaugural Oceania Secretaries-General forum here in Auckland and established a shared Oceania media service to support story telling during Paris 2024. We were also instrumental in establishing a regional safeguarding workshop in partnership with UN Women and DFAT and helping ensure Oceania NOCs can strengthen their approach to safeguarding in sport.”

Dawson thanked the organisations and individuals who make the work of the NZOC possible.

“We extend our gratitude to Sport New Zealand and High-Performance Sport New Zealand, along with our family of commercial partners, donors and suppliers, for their ongoing support. 

NZOC Financial Report 

The New Zealand Team was honoured in 2023 to be supported by leading New Zealand and international brands as well as a highly valued family of donors, funders and other partners. 

The NZOC posted a 2023 surplus of $326,000 with a total revenue of $12m. This year, 42% of NZOC funding was through commercial partnerships and a further 31% from philanthropic donations. The NZOC acknowledged partners and donors for their investment and thanked for their ongoing support.

President Liz Dawson highlighted the financial contribution made through the NZOC to sports and athletes.

“We were pleased to be able to continue to share revenue with our stakeholders, and athletes most importantly, via Olympic Solidarity, the Olympic Foundation and the Athletes' Collective. In 2023 this amounted to more than $2.9-million dollars of shared revenue.”

NZOC Athlete’s Commission

Olympian #1072 Richie Patterson has been elected as the new Chair of the NZOC Athlete’s Commission, with current Chair Sarah Cowley Ross, Olympian #1134, to conclude her term at the end of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Patterson is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished weightlifters, having represented New Zealand at three Olympic and four Commonwealth Games. He brings a passion for health and wellbeing to the position and has experience in sports governance and elite coaching.

“I’d like to start by paying tribute to Sarah Cowley Ross who has done an incredible job as Athlete’s Commission Chair since 2020,” said Patterson.

“What inspired me to stand for the role of Chair, was seeing Sarah’s wonderful leadership and wanting to continue that momentum and further grow the athlete voice in New Zealand.

“The wider New Zealand sporting sector has made massive inroads in the past few years, and I look forward to ensuring that athlete’s views remain at the forefront of decision made in the sporting sector.”

Patterson has been an NZOC Athlete’s Commission member since 2018.

President Liz Dawson congratulated Richie and also acknowledged the contributions made by Sarah Cowley Ross and outgoing IOC Athletes Commission Member, Sarah Walker.

“These two incredible wahine toa have made a huge contribution to building athlete mana and voice in New Zealand and globally. I thank them both for their service and know they will continue to add value to sports and athletes in New Zealand and around the world.”

Board Elections and Membership

NZOC Board Member Graham Child was elected for a second term on the NZOC Board. Child is a business leader, former hockey athlete, coach and administrator and heads the NZOC Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.

Lacrosse New Zealand and New Zealand American Football were also approved for New Zealand Olympic Membership.

New Zealand Cricket and New Zealand Squash were then approved to become New Zealand Olympic Member Federations, transferring from Commonwealth membership after their sports were approved for the LA2028 Olympic Games sports programme.

Ongoing Commitment to Te Ao Māori - Pou Tikanga

In a first for the organisation, the NZOC Board has co-opted former rugby sevens star and Commonwealth Games medallist Dallas Seymour (Ngāti Hikairo) as Pou Tikanga to the NZOC Board, a new governance role that demonstrates the NZOC’s increasing commitment to Te Ao Māori and adds further cultural leadership capability.

Pou Tikanga is a position formed as part of a Waka Hourua (double hull canoe) concept for leadership adopted by the NZOC Board, to underpin a bicultural partnership with Māori.

The Pou Tikanga position will be filled on an ongoing basis by the Chair of Te Urunga Tū (Māori Cultural Advisory Committee). Dallas Seymour is the first to help build cultural leadership capability at governance level.

The NZOC acknowledges Tā Derek Lardelli and Whaea Ranui Ngarimu for their vital support in this important area and thanks new members of Te Urunga Tū Dallas Seymour, Jenny-May Clarkson and Joseph Royal for their cultural leadership and commitment to the kaupapa of the NZOC.

NZOC Board Chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon said the appointment of the inaugural Pou Tikanga is significant.

"This builds on two decades of incorporating Māori culture and deepening our understanding of how it can be integrated within our NZ team and NZOC environments. We are looking forward to having further input at Board level and thank Dallas for taking up this mantle,” said Puketapu-Lyndon.

Tony Hall Awarded the New Zealand Olympic Committee Order

Former NZOC Board Member Tony Hall received the NZOC’s highest honour at the General Assembly.

Hall was made an NZOC Order Holder, with the honour recognising outstanding service to the Olympic Movement and/or Commonwealth Sport Movement.

“We were extremely lucky to have had Tony on the NZOC Board from 2012 to 2023, where he brought a huge amount of knowledge and experience as well as real passion for sport,” said NZOC President Liz Dawson. 

“Around the board table Tony was always a powerful voice on matters of integrity and has also displayed a deep understanding of the power of sport to create positive societal change.”

A new NZOC Merit Award was awarded to four members of the New Zealand sporting whanau who had made important contributions to the Olympic and Commonwealth Sport. They were Pete Miskimmin (Olympian #475, NZOC AC Chair, NZOC Board Member), Lesley Rumball (NZOC AC Chair, NZOC Selector), Mike Kernahan (NZOC AC Chair, NZOC Selector) and Dr Chris Milne (sports physician). As each Award recipient was recognised it was very apparent that their immense contributions over many years, meant NZOC was richer for involvement.

Kākahu: Te Hono ki Matariki

At the conclusion of the General Assembly, whaea Ranui Ngarimu, formally presented the new kākahu, Te Hono ki Matariki, to the NZOC, in front of Members. The Edgar family were also in attendance and recognised for their philanthropic contribution towards the creation of the kākahu.

It was a special presentation and an opportunity for the sector to acknowledge Ranui, an NZOC Order Holder, for her amazing contribution to the New Zealand Olympic Committee and The New Zealand Team.

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