Officials: Green light for Rugby Championship hosting could be ‘perceived bias’ for rugby and men’s sport

Officials investigating the ultimately unsuccessful bid for New Zealand to host the Rugby Championship warned that giving the event a green light could be seen as a “perceived bias” for both rugby and men’s sport, documents reveal.

The fears emerged in a series of government documents obtained under the Official Information Act, which also speak of how the first line of health against Covid-19 was “an already stretched and fatigued workforce.”

New Zealand Rugby’s (NZR) finances and subsequently its workforce were destroyed earlier this year due to the huge impact Covid-19 had on the global sporting environment.

On July 1, the sports body officially launched an offer to host the annual Rugby Championship here; something that government department officials agreed would inject tens of millions into the economy and provide “social benefits” for everyday kiwis.

But in an information document prepared by MBIE for government ministers, three areas considered “negative public perceptions” were raised.

They included: “A perceived bias toward rugby” over other sports, and “a perceived bias toward men’s sports.”

Another possible red flag was “the perception that sports teams have been able to pay preferential treatment where other groups, such as international students and agricultural workers, do not have the means to do so.”

If successful, the All Blacks, Argentina, South Africa and the Wallabies would have all fought for southern hemisphere supremacy in New Zealand.

But on September 11, those hopes were dashed when Sanzaar awarded the tournament to Australia.

The Sept. 4 document made it clear that Australian officials were preparing a rival offer.

While the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) supported NZR’s proposal in the document, it raised concerns about how the country’s health force was already “under enormous pressure.”

“The additional requirements posed by the management of the health needs of sports codes will exacerbate this pressure.”

And if there were an outbreak related to the event, “it would result in increased pressure on an already stretched and fatigued workforce.”

A custom MIQ facility in Queenstown could host up to two teams at a time.

And NZR also requested that each member of the four teams complete three negative Covid-19 tests before being allowed out of quarantine.

Before that document was prepared, Robinson had written to Sports Minister Grant Robertson saying that hosting the event “would provide an inspiring and unifying experience for the team of five million.”

He also questioned whether the New Zealand government could provide any “financial assistance” to “recognize” the costs of hosting the event.

NZR also submitted an extensive response to a question asked by government officials, including inquiries from the Health Ministry on whether rugby players would adhere to strict quarantine rules.

The rugby body said it had been “educating” national teams and unions on what was expected of them if they toured New Zealand.

Team management could expel any team member for misconduct for managed isolation violations. Visas could also be revoked, resulting in the immediate departure from New Zealand of those who transgressed.

In the September 4 document, under the caption “General Public Benefit”, MBIE wrote that hosting events like the Rugby Championship in the current climate “contributes to ongoing social benefits for New Zealand.”

In an earlier MBIE briefing document dated August 7, labeled with an “urgent” priority, which discusses the criteria for evaluating NZ Rugby’s managed isolation and quarantine facility proposal, two of the teams, Argentina and the Springboks, came from “high risk countries”. .

But it also established that the successful creation of a “bespoke MIQ sports facility” for the event “could serve as a prototype of how New Zealand manages isolation and quarantine of large sports and other groups.”

Such a move could also potentially reduce applications from non-New Zealanders for places on the MIQ system, he added.

During the investigation of the proposal, officials from the Ministry of Health and MIQ made site visits in Queenstown and Christchurch, which could be configured as an “MIQ sports facility”.

In the documents, NZR estimated that hosting a successful tournament would result in a “total direct economic impact” of between $ 26 and 28 million.

The additional money would come from direct sponsorships and a portion of broadcast rights and match day winnings.

Had it been approved, rugby officials would have borne the full costs of quarantine for all teams.

But MBIE emphasized: “If Covid-19 spreads as a result of it (and there is no guarantee that it will not), then it is unlikely that the flow costs to the community and potentially the nation (economy / society) could be recovered “.

Current MIQ rules allow only one hour of contactless exercise for those in quarantine facilities.

But the rugby proposal would have allowed all four teams to train during their 14-day quarantine stays, something that would “increase the risk of injury” for them compared to others at MIQ.

The MBIE document said that any required treatment would lead to increases in the “health cost incurred to manage health risks resulting from the spread of Covid-19 undetected among gamers.”

Draft training protocols would mean that players could initially only train in limited bubbles between teams.

If a ball leaves the immediate area of ​​the training ground, it can only be retrieved by a staff member wearing disposable gloves.

And players would be prohibited from spitting on the ground at any time.

Robinson first submitted the application to host the Rugby Championship on July 1.

A joint response from then-Housing Minister Megan Woods and Health Minister Chris Hipkins described it as a “constructive approach” that assessed the risks to public health.

But they emphasized: “They will understand that the government’s number one priority is, and must be, keeping Covid-19 out of our community. The health of New Zealanders is paramount. The integrity of our border processes and MIQ facilities is our critical line of defense. “