Before you read this Swimwatch post there are two qualifications you should know about.

First, I voted Labour in the last two elections and will do so again in a year’s time. This post is not political.

Second, the correspondence you are about to read comes from double Olympic Gold medalist, Alan Thompson. It is a credible source.

There are also three arguments I am about to address.

First, that Hon. Grant Robertson for over a year has been told that Sport New Zealand (SNZ) and High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) were not fit for purpose.

Second, that Grant Robertson was warned over a year before Olivia Podmore died that her death was going to occur.

Third, that Grant Robertson did nothing. SNZ and HPSNZ continue as they did before, and Olivia Podmore was allowed to die.  

SNZ and HPNZ not fit for purpose

In an email dated Wednesday, 5 August 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

I implore you as the Minister of Sport to remove HPSNZ and SNZ from any inquiries or investigations. The process must be conducted by a fully independent person or commission if it is going to have any credibility. I agree with David Howman who stressed this two days ago. Sport New Zealand has had a culture of ‘they know best’ and have bullied NSOs for years.

In an email dated Thursday, 13 August 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

You are asking that I as a parent along with many athletes put faith in SNZ to make their complaints of abuse to the ICM when Sport New Zealand may be complicit in this abuse and definitely HPSNZ is. How (has) sport in NZ got to such a low that allows the systematic abuse of its athletes. They do not and will not trust HPSNZ as they have been repeatedly let down by them. The athletes I know do not trust anything associated with SNZ. Sport New Zealand is a very big part of the problem and may be complicit in this abuse.

In an email dated Monday, 31 August 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

The Athletes Federation is not representative of sports people in this country. when one takes a closer look you may find Mr Rob Nicol has a close friendship or association with Mr Gordon Walker from CRNZ, the Athletes Federation has in the past acted as an agent or on behalf of the CEO of CRNZ Mr Tom Ashley, the CEO of the Federation I believe is possibly Ms Carrington’s manager. You can draw your own conclusions.

In an email dated Monday, 31 August 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

Sport NZ has a ‘dirty puppeteer’s finger’ in most NSOs pulling and manipulating all processes and directions for its own ends. The parents and these young women want a Royal Commission of Enquiry put in place so they can tell their stories and also point out how dishonest the NSOs and HPSNZ are, in addition they want to make recommendations that protect the integrity of sport in NZ and protect future sports people.

In an email dated Monday, 12 October 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

What I would like to see is a Commission of Enquiry and all those abusers and those complicit gone. The reason I wanted a Commission of Enquiry was because this has been going on for years because of the power exerted by Sport NZ and HPSNZ.

In an email dated Monday, 21 December 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

I ask you to use your influence through Sport NZ to demand the resignation of CRNZ’s Board, CRNZ’s Board has failed to take due care of its members and has failed in all aspects of health and safety, it has failed control its employees. I know that the CEO and Coaches of CRNZ have rights under Employment Law but when someone of your calibre says they have grave concerns about their performance or have no confidence in them, this would or should make them resign.

Hon. Grant Robertson was told about Olivia Podmore’s death

In an email dated Thursday, 13 August 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

You are asking that I as a parent along with many athletes put faith in SNZ to make their complaints of abuse to the ICM when Sport New Zealand may be complicit in this abuse and definitely HPSNZ is. Sport New Zealand is a very big part of the problem.

In an email dated Monday, 31 August 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

It will only be a matter of time before some parent gets the knock on the door from the Police. I leave it for you to act hopefully in haste.

In an email dated Monday, 31 August 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

Some of these young women have already just about paid the price with their lives. This cannot happen and should never happen, vested interests that discard young sports people like altar boys and girls in the catholic church cannot pervade NZ Sport.

In an email dated Monday, 31 August 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

One parent yesterday told me that ‘we are very lucky to still have two of these young women’. CRNZ and HPSNZ yesterday openly lied about when they knew about what was happening and the action they have taken. This Sir we can prove beyond all reasonable doubt both with email trails and eye witnessIn

In an email dated Monday, 21 December 2020 Grant Robertson was told this:

HPSNZ knew full well about the toxic culture that existed in Canoe racing NZ and HPSNZ chose to ignore it. ‘Medals over ethics and morality, medals over lives’- what an indictment of NZ Sport.

In an email dated Monday, 3 May 2021 Grant Robertson was told this:

Today another young women has left one of Canoe Racing NZ HP Women’s squads because of a nervous breakdown, anxiety and depression. My count stands at 7 young women who I know who’s lives have in some cases just about been destroyed, yet nothing has changed. Obviously Sport NZ, HPSNZ and those they are responsible to only care about not upsetting the apple cart and medals are more important that lives. Some of the young women that stood up and spoke out are still being physically and mentally intimidated.

Conclusion

What a chilling email. Sixteen months ago, Hon. Grant Robertson was told by a double Olympic Gold Medallist. “It will only be a matter of time before some parent gets the knock on the door from the Police.”

It is too late for Grant Robertson to act now. Olivia Podmore’s mother has had “the knock on the door from the Police.” Her daughter is dead. Grant Robertson was told and did nothing. He was in a position to save that girl’s life and left her to die.

But it is not too late for him to save others. Here is what The Minister of Sport needs to do.

1. Close down the Canoeing SGM that is clearly a vendetta aimed at Alan Thompson for telling the truth to a Minister of the Crown.
2. Encourage the Police to get fully involved in the Podmore inquiry.
3. Widen the Police investigation to include:
4. consideration of the charge of murder
5. The role SNZ and HPSNZ played in Podmore’s death
6. Payment to the lawyers involved in the current Podmore inquiry should be taken over by the Government – not SNZ or HPSNZ.
7. Widen the current Podmore inquiry to include a SNZ and HPSNZ restructure aimed at preventing the moral corruption that has recently characterised both organisations.
8. Replace Raelene Castle as CEO of both agencies.