Moral bankruptcy within sports codes means they cannot keep young athletes safe

My experience of sports administrators is that they tend to know all and see all.

It falls to parents and guardians to protect the welfare of promising athletes, Hamish Bidwell writes.
Photo: Photosport

Many are fans first and governance gurus second, meaning they love to know what athletes are up to in their private lives. They live and breathe the sport they’re involved in, offering their own unwanted theories to coaches and wanting to help pick teams.

Which athlete sneaks off to KFC or McDonald’s? Who likes a sneaky cigarette? Who’s jumping into bed with whom?

There’s little that gets past those at the top.

And how could it?

Sports often have “spotters” out in the field, reporting to teams and codes about who was out late last week or who was seen scoffing a cream bun outside a bakery.

So spare me the shock and dismay from Cycling New Zealand (CNZ) and Sport New Zealand after the latest rancid review into the sport.

These people know exactly what goes on in their codes, because it’s their job to know. Athletes, and coaches for that matter, are these administrators’ product and they know them intimately.

When athletes are signed to contracts, retained in squads or having their performances reviewed, every vice, every sin, every misstep is on the table.

And so it goes throughout an organisation.

Every staff member is scrutinised, all the way down the line: Physios, doctors, trainers, massage therapists, managers, performance directors. All their foibles are known.

It’s what helps give administrators power.

And yet, time and again, we see sports “blindsided” by events or allegations. We see them go into damage control, to talk of reviews and soul searching and cultural change.

What absolute nonsense.

Administrators build power because they know the foibles of everyone involved from coaches to athletes. (File pic)
Photo: 123rf

Cycling well below rock bottom

To see these people, as was the case in this cycling situation, front reporters ashen faced and contrite. To vow that things will be different and that this is rock bottom.

Only we’re well below rock bottom here. Olivia Podmore allegedly took her own life as a result of her treatment by CNZ.

Treatment that included their complete inaction following an earlier review into some of the distasteful and shameful goings on at the organisation.

Cycling NZ chairman Phil Holden at a media briefing over an inquiry into the sport.
Photo:

I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe a word any administrator says. I reckon they’re weak and duplicitous and complacent and wholly ill-equipped to look after our children.

Whether an athlete is 12, 22 or 32, parents are putting them into the care of coaches and organisations. They trust that these people have their child’s best interests at heart and, as events continually appear to show us, that trust is entirely misplaced.

I’ve written before that it has to be up to parents, siblings, partners, whoever, to ensure that athletes aren’t mistreated, because coaches and organisations are incapable.

We have to be the advocates and actual guardians of our loved ones, because the people paid to care for them either can’t or won’t.

Sports and teammates and exercise are meant to enrich children’s lives, but these frequent reviews reveal they’re ruining them. One life here has actually been lost.

So I’m afraid I don’t take administrators at their word. I don’t believe their vows and I doubt the sincerity of their apologies.

And one of the fundamental reasons for that is that I’m certain administrators know what’s going on within their outfit. That they turn blind eyes and deaf ears to things, because they think the rest of us will never find out.

Families held in contempt

Well, the genie is out of the bottle here. Too many codes and too many teams are being revealed to be morally bankrupt.

They have little or no regard for their athletes and contempt for the athlete’s families.

Sure, a coach or administrator will glad-hand you on the touchline and tell you how well your child’s doing and what a wonderful person they are and how highly valued.

But how often is that authority figure actually abusing, belittling, fat-shaming, starving or humiliating that child? Too often, judging by these reviews.

I’ve spent my working life at games and tournaments. I’ve seen the proud families, I’ve watched the way they’ve sought an audience with coaches and chief executives and the handshakes and hugs and the laughter that have followed.

They want their child to do well, they want their child to be liked by those in charge and they trust that all is well behind the scenes.

Photo: matimix/123RF

I’ve found, with boys particularly, that their stock answer is “good.”

How are you? How was your day? How was training? How’s your coach? Good, good, good, good.

It takes a bit of work to get beyond the goods and find out exactly what’s going on.

But that’s our challenge and our responsibility. We have to be in constant dialogue with our children and when we’re not happy with the answers, we have to challenge those in authority.

Because if these sporting reviews are teaching us anything, it’s that coaches and administrators have to be shamed into telling the truth.