• Simon Peterson, Cycling NZ chief executive, has apologised for the “appalling” treatment Olivia Podmore endured.
• Podmore died in a suspected suicide in August 2021.
• Peterson said Cycling NZ has undergone cultural transformation since 2022, including appointing a fulltime people and culture manager.

By Dana Johannsen of RNZ

This story discusses mental health and suicide. A list of helplines is available at the bottom of the page.

The head of Cycling NZ has apologised to the family of Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore for the “appalling” treatment she endured in the sport’s high-performance programme.

Cycling NZ chief executive Simon Peterson on Wednesday appeared before an inquest into the death of the young athlete.

Podmore died in a suspected suicide in August 2021 – the day after the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games, for which she was not selected.

Unusually for a witness in a judicial hearing, Coroner Louella Dunn granted Peterson permission to attend the inquest and listen in to the other evidence.

Olivia Podmore (left) died in a suspected suicide in August 2021. Photo / Alex Whitehead

Peterson, who took on the top job at Cycling NZ in February 2023 – 18 months after Podmore’s death – has been at the Coroner’s Court in Hamilton every day of the hearing.

He told the court on Wednesday he has listened to the evidence with a “heavy heart”.

“The behaviours of some of the people in our organisation, particularly in the 2016-2018 period during Olivia’s induction, were appalling and I would like to apologise on behalf of Cycling NZ,” Peterson said.

• Doctor warned sporting body ‘we could lose someone’ before Podmore’s death
• More should have been done when Podmore expressed suicidal ideation, inquest hears
• Podmore's mood test showed 'really concerning scores', inquest hears
• Olivia Podmore inquest: Doctor sobs on the stand

Earlier in the inquest, the court heard how Podmore faced “unrelenting” bullying from a coach and others in the programme after unwittingly exposing an inappropriate coach-athlete relationship in a training camp in Bordeaux in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympic Games.

The “Bordeaux incident” and subsequent fallout was the central controversy examined in Mike Heron’s 2018 investigation into Cycling NZ.

In the course of his investigation, Heron uncovered other issues outside of the terms of reference of the inquiry, including potential disciplinary issues.

The court heard last month that following the publication of the report, Heron wrote a confidential letter to former Cycling NZ chief executive Andrew Matheson outlining issues “that may give rise to further action”.

Among the issues outlined was the disclosure Podmore was bullied by two athletes that remained in the programme.

In response, Matheson wrote a letter to the young athlete stating he saw “no tangible value” in taking disciplinary action against those that had harmed her. Matheson told Podmore the decision was made following consultation with her coach Rene Wolff, then high performance director Martin Barras, and a health practitioner responsible for Podmore’s welfare.

Peterson told the court on Wednesday, the decision not to investigate the bullying allegations was “not appropriate”.

Asked how he would have dealt with the disclosures, Peterson responded: “It would not be to close it down. That’s not appropriate. It would be dealt with on a people level, not a letter.”

Peterson, who took the helm of Cycling NZ in the wake of a second major inquiry into the sport in 2021 triggered by Podmore’s death, said the organisation has undergone marked cultural transformation since 2022.

He said one of the biggest developments he has seen during his time at the organisation was the appointment of a fulltime people and culture manager.

Peterson said when an issue is reported by an athlete, the people and culture manager “immediately removes the conversation from the HP space and says ‘what is best for the person’ not the programme”.

“It’s been a game-changer in terms of bringing issues to the fore.”

Peterson said consultation with athletes has also increased during his time at the organisation, noting when he started in the role “we clearly didn’t have the engagement with athletes that I would aspire to”.

The Cycling NZ chief executive said he turned down a “significant commercial opportunity” after consulting with the athlete group.

“I listened to that feedback and I ... declined the commercial opportunity on the strength of that.”

The athletes did not want to be aligned to that particular industry. It was a values-based decision, but it was also walking the talk on taking the athlete viewpoint into account.

Peterson’s evidence continues.

- RNZ

SUICIDE AND DEPRESSION

Where to get help:
• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• Youthline: Call 0800 376 633 or text 234
• What's Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)
• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)
• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
• Aoake te Rā (Bereaved by Suicide Service): Call 0800 000 053
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111