Members of a new network of New Zealanders in international sports administration roles hope the organisation will give the country more say when it comes to issues which directly affect Kiwi athletes.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee's chief executive officer and secretary general Kereyn Smith. Photo: Photosport
Set up to boost New Zealand's influence in the global sporting sector, the New Zealand International Representatives Network for Sport is made up of more than 50 New Zealanders involved in sports governance at a global level.
The network was officially launched in Auckland on Thursday morning and has been driven by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC).
NZOC chief executive Kereyn Smith was confident setting up the organisation would be of substantial benefit to New Zealand athletes.
"When you're at the top table you are having a say about qualification events, about where events go, future programs at the Olympics. All of these things are where those decisions are made.
"If we're not at the table, we're not even having a voice so absolutely it's important in the Olympic world and in the Commonwealth world and it's important in every individual sport."
The primary goal of the network was to bring the people in these people together to co-ordinate New Zealand's influence for the benefit of the country.
WADA Athletes' Commission and Executive Board member Ben Sandford said the insight, influence and networks of members would guarantee New Zealand was seizing and making the most of all opportunities.
"The network will ensure that New Zealand's interests can be advanced in a more cohesive way to deliver benefit to our athletes and sports.
"It's a great step forward and we're delighted to see our global reputation for integrity and excellence being maximised."
David Howman. Photo: AFP
Another prominent member of the network, and one of New Zealand's most prominent figures in international sports governance was David Howman.
The former Director-General of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), was now the chair of the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
Howman said, with the network itself set up, the next step was for the actual networking to begin, and he hoped in five years time no New Zealander would go to an international sport meeting with no knowledge of what to expect.
"You need to send people out of the country to these events where they know what will be happening, how they can influence it and know whether there's an opportunity for them to go up the ranks in the international arena.
"We as a country should be picking the sports that we really need that manoeuvring in and making sure that we get in behind those particular sports. The ones that we obviously do well in internationally, but others that we would like to do well known in internationally.
"Lobbying around the table is where it happens. You've got to be there."