New Zealand hockey players told to end fundraising for Olympic participation

New Zealand’s Olympic hockey players have been told they no longer need to generate their own funds in the countdown to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after the national governing body confirmed it had retracted a directive for them to find sponsorship.

It had been reported that both the men’s and women’s squads of 25 were asked to individually seek out $12,000 funding packages ahead of the Olympic Games in August.

If successful, the appeal would have raised $600,000, providing additional support for the players at their 12-week camp in Auckland prior to Games.

Players were initially given until the end of January to find sponsorship before the deadline was extended to the end of February.

However, Hockey New Zealand interim Chief Executive Ian Francis, has brought an end to the plan having stepped into the role following the resignation of Malcolm Harris in December.

Francis told Stuff.co.nz “we wanted our athletes preparing and focusing on winning medals (at the Games).

"That needs to be their sole focus and we didn't want the distraction of them going out having to seek funding as well as competing, performing and training to the best of their ability."

Francis said there had been a "mixed" reaction from the players after they were asked to find their own funding.

He added “some players were successful in being able to (raise) some personal sponsorship out of it as well so in that sense it was good, but generally players, and we believe the same thing, should just be focused on their performances and actually training and preparing.”

Harris, defended the sponsorship initiative he oversaw, saying "you're travelling around the world three or four times a year.

"It's a big hit on your budget, so we've got to look at all avenues and financial opportunities and if the players can contribute through their networks we thought that was a reasonable idea."

Businessman Sir Owen Glenn, who has contributed considerable sums to hockey in New Zealand, claimed it was a "disgrace" the country did not properly fund its Olympic teams.

Sir Owen stated “the bottom line is the Government doesn't support them.

"Their excuse is, if you do it for hockey you've got to do it for rugby, soccer, but if you want to compete at the Olympics, we have to fund it."

The revelation comes after Sport New Zealand disclosed a $4 million cut to its lottery grants.

New Zealand’s sole Olympic field hockey medal came at Montreal in 1976, where they beat rivals Australia 1-0 in the final to top the podium. 

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