Sport NZ releases review of athletes’ rights and welfare

Sport NZ has released a report by sports lawyer Stephen Cottrell on elite athletes’ rights and welfare. Commissioned as part of a broader Sport Integrity Review, the report builds on the findings of interviews with 107 individuals ranging from elite athletes, coaches and high performance staff to national sport organisation executives, athlete managers and the Athletes’ Commission.

Welcoming the report, Sport NZ Chief Executive Peter Miskimmin “this project is an important part of our Sport Integrity Review and we are grateful for the contributions made by people across the system.

“Mr Cottrell’s findings are consistent with what we have learned through the various other reviews conducted by high performance sporting organisations since this project was commissioned. At the same time, it gives us and others in the system, including NSOs and their athletes, valuable insights and some things to consider both individually and collectively.”

High Performance Sport NZ Chief Executive Michael Scott confirmed that Cottrell’s recommendations relating to the organisation would be implemented through the organisation’s High Performance 12 Point Plan.

Scott added “Mr Cottrell’s recommendations provide additional context for the terms of reference of these pieces of work, and the High Performance 12 Point Plan provides the right framework and approach to get the job done.

“Between these projects, and through the collective efforts of all those working in high performance sport in New Zealand, I believe we will create a stronger, more sustainable high performance system.”

The High Performance 12 Point Plan will include input from National Sporting Organisations, athletes and other key stakeholders.

Click here to download the report.