New Zealand has dropped the ball regarding efforts to promote inclusivity and acceptance in its sporting culture, according to new research, with homophobic and sexist language prolific among clubs nationwide.
The international, peer-reviewed research by Melbourne's Monash University found nearly half (42 percent) of New Zealand's young male sportsmen who identify as gay or bisexual have been the target of homophobic bullying, including assaults, slurs and other behaviours. The assessment of New Zealand sports participation found a paltry 13 percent of LGBTQ Kiwis, aged between 15-21, have come out to their teammates, languishing behind the five other countries studied; Ireland (15 percent), Canada (15 percent), Australia (15 percent), the US (22 percent) and the UK (28 percent).
Lead author Erik Denison from Monash's behavioural sciences research Laboratory says clubs could be at risk of closing down if things don't improve, as researchers record a global decline in combat sport participation.
Dennison says initial efforts to improve the culture in New Zealand have made little to no headway, despite a number of sporting bodies committing to increased inclusivity in 2016. Speaking to Newshub on Sunday, Dennison reiterates the problem is not going to fix itself - and more needs to be done to ensure young people feel welcomed and supported on the sports field.
"We've known for a while that homophobic language is quite common in New Zealand sport, and that's a real concern. Being exposed to this language is really harmful to young people.
"If a young LQBTQ person is exposed to homophobic language, they're much more likely to self-harm, to attempt suicide, but also to leave the sport that they're playing.
"We were quite alarmed to see that if a young, gay person comes out to their teammates, they're much more likely to be a target of homophobic abuse - including assault, slurs and bullying. That needs to stop.
"New Zealand prides itself on being a very inclusive, welcoming and supportive culture, and this is the opposite of that behaviour. If someone comes out, they should be welcomed and safe, not attacked for their sexuality," Dennison told Newshub.
Dennison says New Zealanders are not as socially progressive as they'd like to believe - and are losing the race to put an end to homophobia in sports, with LGBTQ male athletes rendered almost invisible in team sports.
According to the research, young sportspeople in New Zealand are the least likely to come out of the closet, particularly when derogatory terms such as "f****t" and "p**f" are frequently thrown around.
"[New Zealand is] not even trying to fix this problem - essentially the commitments made in 2016 have not been met," Dennison says.
According to the research, while many young people will accept the homophobic and sexist language used in sporting environments due to peer pressure and a desire to fit in, the majority of males - straight or otherwise - don't like the offensive banter.
"This is not just a gay problem, this is an everyone problem."
The findings correspond to a global decline in combat sport participation rates, with Dennison arguing more needs to be done to keep young people interested - such as ensuring clubs create a safe, welcoming culture that allows players to thrive.
"I think we have some really good, promising solutions now that we didn't have in 2016," he says. "These are not overly complex problems, but they're not going to fix themselves."
Approaches sporting clubs should consider implementing include training captains to be "culture captains", not just team captains, Dennison explains.
Another option could be introducing "pride games" at the community and club level. Research led by Monash University earlier this year found the use of homophobic language was drastically reduced at sporting clubs which held the diversity-themed events.
The study investigated whether discriminatory behaviour in male sports - targeting women, different races and different sexualities - were improved when the rainbow-themed games were held.
Dennison says promoting diversity and inclusion through these events can help clubs increase their sponsors, keep players longer, and increase the number of volunteers - with it all coming down to culture. They also provide a space for more difficult conversations to take place, allowing the group an opportunity to talk about subjects that are typically considered taboo in sporting venues.
"I'm not sure why New Zealand sports have dropped the ball in this area," Dennison says.
"They need to pick up that ball again and they need to fix this problem."
The study on youth experiences in sport responds to "urgent" calls by UN agencies for data that can be used to develop effective solutions to protect LGBTQ youth from discrimination.
A recent UK parliamentary inquiry has called for action on homophobic behaviour in sport, with discrimination identified as a key factor in high-rates of attempted suicides by LGBTQ young people and low rates of sport participation by gay youth.