The Sport Integrity Commission (''Te Kahu Raunui'') is an independent New Zealand

Crown entity A Crown entity (from the Commonwealth term ''Crown'') is an organisation that forms part of New Zealand's state sector established under the Crown Entities Act 2004, a unique umbrella governance and accountability statute. The Crown Entities Act i ...

that serves as the country's anti- doping agency. It is the successor to an earlier organisation called Drug Free Sport New Zealand. Legislation establishing the Sports Integrity Commission was passed on 16 August 2023, with the organisation launching on 1 July 2024.

Mandate and functions

The Commission's mandate and functions include developing New Zealand's first sporting "Code of Integrity for Sport and Recreation" and investigating breaches of that code. The Commission also serves as a complaint and dispute resolution service. It also succeeds Drug Free Sport New Zealand as the country's national anti-doping agency. A central focus of the Commission is the well-being of sporting participants and ensuring they have better support and protections to raise integrity matters. Other functions include protecting participants, combating discrimination, safeguarding children, anti-competition manipulation and anti-corruption. The Commission also inherits the functions of the Sport and Recreation Complaints and Mediation Service (SRCMS) including investigations and complaints resolution. The Commission is led by a leadership board. As of July 2024, its chief executive is Rebecca Rolls.

History

On 16 August 2023, the New Zealand Parliament unanimously passed legislation establishing an independent Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission, which came into operation from 2024. The Commission also incorporated and assumed the functions of the anti-doping agency Drug Free Sport New Zealand. According to

Minister for Sport and Recreation The Minister for Sport and Recreation in New Zealand is the cabinet member appointed by the Prime Minister to be in charge of the Sport New Zealand. The current Minister for Sport and Recreation is Grant Robertson. List of ministers The follow ...

Grant Robertson, the Commission was established to provide better support for sporting participants in raising integrity matters following several critical reviews into several of New Zealand's elite sporting environments and bodies in 2018, sports lawyer

Stephen Cottrell Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell (born 31 August 1958) is a Church of England bishop. Since 9 July 2020, he has been the Archbishop of York and Primate of England; the second-most senior bishop of the church and the most senior in northern England. He ...

's review into elite athlete rights and welfare and the August 2021 death of

Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

cyclist Olivia Podmore. On 24 May 2024, Sporting Minister

Chris Bishop Christopher Bishop (born 4 September 1983) is a New Zealand National Party politician who was first elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives in 2014 as a list MP. Bishop won the Hutt South electorate in 2017 but lost the seat in ...

announced the Commission's inaugural board members. These included Chair sporting lawyer Don Mackinnon, Tim Castle, Chiefs Rugby franchise director Traci Houpapa, former Silver Ferns player Adine Wilson, former international rugby referee Lyndon Bray, Recreation Aotearoa co-chair Bobbi-Jo Clark-Heu, Rebecca McDonald, former All Blacks player Keven Mealamu and former Silver Ferns player Lesley Nicol.

References

External links

{{NZ Crown entities/Independent Crown entities Anti-doping organizations New Zealand independent crown entities Ombudsmen in New Zealand 2024 establishments in New Zealand Government agencies established in 2024 Sports governing bodies in New Zealand