Safe Sport

Child protection and safeguarding is about the actions taken in response to a specific concern for tamariki and rangatahi who may be suffering, or are at risk or suffering from harm or abuse. It requires specialised chlidren protection services, the police, and expert local organisations that are trained to provide advice and manage cases if they arise.

• Athletics NZ Safeguarding Policy will be posted here after adoption at the 2026 Athletics NZ AGM.
• Guidelines for Children’s Team Managers click here
• Guidelines for Volunteers working with children click here
• Guidelines for responding to issues of disclosed or suspected abuse click here
• Guidelines for Coaches of children click here
• Poster – Safe Sport Values click here
• Poster – What do I say click here
• Poster - Safeguarding experience click here
• Sport NZ Child Protection in Play, Active Recreation and Sport online module click here

It is our role to safeguard the authenticity of athletics and to take all possible measures to eliminate corrupt conduct which might place the integrity and reputation of athletics at risk.

We will also continue to promote fair play, in particular, play a leading role in the fight against doping in athletics, either directly or by supporting the Sport Integrity Commission to develop and maintain programmes and education aimed at the eradication of doping from the sport. We include anti-doping education in all of our coach memberships , to all selected New Zealand team athletes as well as regular workshops for our High Performance Programme athletes.

• Athletics NZ Integrity Regulation click here
• Sports Integrity Commission click here
• Sport Integrity Commission e-learning courses, including anti-doping click here
  
  

Under the Athletics NZ Judicial Regulation  an independent Judicial Tribunal can consider, and make orders in respect of, integrity matters brought before it.  Decisions of that Tribunal, and statements by Athletics NZ in respect of other integrity matters, are set out further below.  

Everyone in sport has the right to be fairly treated, with respect and free from harm. No matter what type of participant you are – athlete, supporter, coach, manager or official – we all play a part in keeping everyone safe from harm and to have fun.

Our Athletics NZ Code of Conduct and Member Protection and Anti-Harrassment regulation set the standard and expectations for behaviour for all of our members. By registering as a member with Athletics NZ, you are agreeing to abide by these standards for how we will act when we participate in athletics.

If you have experienced an issue while participating in athletics, or have noticed a concern, please lodge this through our Raise a Concern form.

• Athletics NZ Code of Conduct click here
• Athletics NZ Member Protection Regulation click here

Balance is Better – The home of youth sport in New Zealand

Balance is Better is about creating quality experiences for all young people to keep them active and in the game.

For expert articles and educational resources related to youth sport click here

HPSNZ Healthy Women in Performance Sport

Healthy women in Performance Sport is a HPSNZ intiative designed to support the health, wellbeing and performance of female athletes. For articles and educational resources click here

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)

Unfortunately, there is a history of RED-S affecting athletes in our sport, so parent, athlete and coach awareness of RED-S is an important area of focus for Athletics NZ. RED-S is caused by a mismatch between energy intake from diet and the energy used in exercise. When there is insufficient energy available, the body is unable to perform all its functions, resulting in a range of health and performance consequences.

For an introductory article on RED-S and links to further material click here

High Performance Athletes Commission Chairperson:

The ANZ-HP Athletes’ Commission is made up of current and recent high performance athletes, provides a mechanism for the views of high performance athletes to be heard, and helps to ensure athlete wellbeing is appropriately considered by Athletics New Zealand. The current Athletes’ Commission members: Quentin Rew (Chair), Eliza McCartney (Deputy Chair), Dame Valerie Adams, Anna Grimaldi, Malcolm Hicks, Lucy Oliver and Julia Ratcliffe.

The Athletes Commission can be contacted by email at [email protected]

Athletics New Zealand Members Advocate

The Athletics NZ Members’ Advocate provides a voice for all Athletics NZ members. They are available for any member to talk to about a matter they feel has not been fully considered or resolved by Athletics NZ staff and/or is of a confidential or personal nature that would benefit from disclosure to a person independent from the day-to-day operations of Athletics NZ. The Members’ Advocate is currently Craig Purdy and he can be contacted at [email protected]

The first step of the process is to determine if an issue is a concern or a complaint. This is to help avoid using up valuable time and resources on issues that could be straightforward to resolve.

Concerns are issues that people may be worried about but don’t warrant a formal complaint.

All member Clubs and Centres have an obligation to do all that is reasonable to resolve issues before they escalate to become formal complaints and we encourage individuals to take a common-sense approach and raise the concern directly with the person/people involved.

If you are unable to do this, we recommend you raise the issue with your Club. If the Club feels that they need support with this concern, they can speak with their Centre.

In most cases, Athletics NZ will work alongside a Club or Centre to help resolve a concern.
However, Athletics NZ can choose to escalate a serious concern and treat it as a complaint.

Factors that will be considered include:
• the nature of the concern
• the seriousness of the concern
• who raised the concern
• the age of the person who the concern relates to
• whether the concern was raised anonymously
• whether a concern has been raised about the person before.

A complaint is a formal statement relating to an allegation of misconduct. A complaint may be made by any member of Athletics NZ, or a person on behalf of that member (with their consent).

Misconduct under the Athletics NZ Judicial Regulation, means any conduct by an Athletics NZ Official, a National Representative, a Participant, an Individual Member, Life Member, Member Club or an Associate Member which:

1. breaches or is contrary to the Athletics NZ Code of Conduct
2. is Harassment
3. breaches the Constitution, any Regulation, or any rule, reasonable determination, resolution or policy of Athletics NZ, and which conduct is not covered by any other Regulation (including engaging in Harassment)
4. breaches the World Athletics Constitution, World Athletics Rule, or any World Athletics Regulation
5. is unbecoming of that person or organisation or is detrimental to the objects or interests of Athletics NZ or to the reputation of Athletics NZ or Athletics in New Zealand
6. has brought, or is likely to bring Athletics NZ or Athletics into disrepute
7. occurs where the person knowingly assists or is otherwise complicit in any act or omission that constitutes, or culminates in the commission of, Misconduct by another person to whom this Regulation applies.

A formal complaint can be made in writing to the Athletics NZ CEO.

It should set out in as much detail as possible the nature of the alleged misconduct; the persons involved; the date(s) and time(s) on which the alleged misconduct occurred; the impact of the incident on the complainant and/or other persons; and what resolution is being sought.

Athletics NZ acknowledges that in some circumstances it may be more appropriate for the complaint to be made via phone call or in person.

Athletics NZ understands that in some circumstances it may be more appropriate for the complaint to be made via phone call or in person.

If you feel your issue cannot be dealt with effectively by Athletics NZ, or you would prefer to raise the matter with an independent body, you can contact the Sport Integrity Commission Te Kahu Raunui click here

Full details of our complaints process can be found in the Athletics New Zealand Judicial Regulation

To ensure that natural justice is observed, it is highly likely that complaints made anonymously will be dealt with as concerns. This is at the discretion of Athletics NZ.

Your complaint will be received and assessed by the CEO of Athletics NZ.

If the complaint is not deemed to be an Athletics NZ matter it will be dismissed – and you will be informed of the reasons why.

If the complaint falls under the jurisdiction of Athletics NZ, it will be dealt with based on the severity of the issue raised.

Athletics NZ has full discretion to proceed with a complaint regardless of whether the complaint has been withdrawn and in situations where the person who raised the complaint wishes to remain anonymous.