Systemic failings, large emphasis on performance over well-being, and athlete welfare taking a backseat to winning.
Those are the findings of an independent review into Cycling New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand after the death of Kiwi cyclist Olivia Podmore last year.
It is the second report released into the organisation's culture, after a 2018 enquiry revealed a culture of bullying and intimidation.
Podmore was found dead last August in Cambridge, just hours after sharing a message on social media about the pressure of being an elite athlete.
The independent panel has revealed its findings and calls for an overhaul in athlete well-being. However, Podmore's death was not part of the enquiry, and will instead be the focus of the coroner.
"The most important finding is that a number of people have unresolved trauma from events that Cycling’s High-Performance Programme in 2016 and subsequently Olivia Podmore was clearly part of that group. We apologise to the Podmore family for their loss and the hurt and grief they continue to experience," the report said.
The report recommends a people and process first model, and that the Cambridge-based centralised programme be investigated, with it so far receiving 'mixed-reviews'.
"The centralised model has seemed to create more problems than it solved," the report said.
"Athlete wellbeing should be at the centre of any proposed new centralisation model."
Many sports have already moved away from a centralised programme, but Cycling NZ pushed back on the suggestions, citing they could not support equitable distribution around the regions.
Investigators also recommended Cycling NZ introduce a policy to better deal with high-performance athletes when it comes to pregnancy and head injuries.
It’s understood finances were among a number of contributing issues for Podmore, with the investigators noting the financial downfalls of the current high-performance funding.
They don't believe the new funding model, released last year, is a sufficient response to the issues identified in this inquiry.
The report also suggests the need for an athlete body, which has organisational and financial independence from governing bodies, similar to that of a players association.
Podmore's family believe the review should have included more detail about the events leading up to the 24-year-old's death.
