An independent inquiry looking at the adequacy of changes made to Cycling NZ since its 2018 Heron Review has been announced, in the wake of Olivia Podmore’s sudden death.
Cycling New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) announced the inquiry on Thursday afternoon, almost two weeks after the former Olympian’s death.
“We have been listening carefully to the voices of athletes who have spoken out or made contact with us directly,” Cycling New Zealand chairperson Phil Holden said.
“The board of Cycling New Zealand are very clear they want to make sure that those perspectives are built into this inquiry right from the start.
“Given how closely we work with HPSNZ, it is important that all of our individual and joint systems are reviewed concurrently.”
Emma Twigg and Michael Brake said organisations focussed too heavily on results rather than athlete well-being.
In a public social media post that has since been deleted, Podmore wrote about the pressure of top level sport and particularly her relationship with Cycling New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand.
She said she hoped they never cover up another scandal, make a teenager lie or use blackmail and that she also hoped they will take suicidal athletes more seriously.
Podmore’s death came after Michael Heron QC conducted a report into Cycling New Zealand in 2018 following 1 NEWS revelations about a dysfunctional culture.
Podmore was a key contributor to the investigation which found a lack of accountability and consequences for bad behaviour as well as sub-optimal leadership. It identified how a young athlete was bullied and pressured to lie in the past.
Since Podmore’s death, some coaches and parents have also told 1 NEWS the idea of sending their teenager to the cycling high performance programme in Cambridge has become fraught with fear.
1 NEWS has heard from a number of former riders who say their mental health suffered as they tried to balance their new life.
If and when they were dropped from the programme things got worse, with one saying he was flung into the wilderness.
Another adding there was no support, no guidance and no concern.
It was an emotional day in Christchurch.
Chief executive of High Performance Sport NZ Raelene Castle said Podmore’s death had raised serious questions about athlete wellbeing in the wake of the Tokyo Olympics that must be acted upon.
“Olivia’s death has focussed our attention once more on the complex issues surrounding athlete welfare and wellbeing, issues that the system has grappled with across a number of years. Our priority is to ensure we understand what has happened and what more can be done,” Castle said.
“Understanding something so complex will take time. We also must respect and engage in the coronial inquiry that is underway.
“A joint inquiry is the right thing to do to ensure we take a system view of the issue and are sensitive to all parties affected by this tragedy,” said Castle.
Cycling NZ said the inquiry’s scope and framework will be defined in conjunction with an independent inquirer, to be appointed shortly.
Details of the inquiry will be confirmed next week.
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