Sport NZ group manager Raelene Castle gives evidence before an inquest into the death of Olivia Podmore. Photo: Pool / RNZ Cole Eastham-Farrelly
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The country's sporting agency boss has explained to a court how a former Cycling NZ executive found to have demonstrated 'sub-optimal leadership' later gained a general manager role at High Performance Sport NZ.
The inquest into Olivia Podmore's death was adjourned on Thursday by Coroner Louella Dunn until next year, to allow a continuation of evidence.
Podmore died in a suspected suicide the day after the conclusion of the Tokyo Olympics, which she was not selected for following a contentious nomination process.
Before adjourning, Sport NZ group manager Raelene Castle, appeared to outline reforms undertaken in the wake of the young athlete's death in August 2021.
During her time giving evidence, Castle faced tough questions over her decision to appoint former Cycling NZ chief executive Andrew Matheson to a general manager role at HPSNZ.
The inquest previously heard evidence of how Podmore endured "unrelenting bullying" during her first two years in Cycling NZ's elite programme, after unwittingly exposing an affair between her coach and another athlete at a training camp in Bordeaux in the lead-up to the Rio Olympics.
The incident was the central controversy examined in Mike Heron KC's 2018 inquiry into Cycling NZ.
The review found that Matheson had demonstrated "sub-optimal" leadership in addressing the serious cultural and conduct issues in the programme, putting athletes and staff at further risk of bullying.
"It was not appropriate or adequate to do nothing further in respect to what appeared to be a sinister and distressing example of bullying," Heron wrote.
Rio Olympian Olivia Podmore died in August 2021, aged 24. Photo: Supplied
Matheson resigned from his role at Cycling NZ in 2018.
Just over a year later he picked up consultancy work with HPSNZ, before being appointed acting general manager of strategy implementation in July 2021.
Matheson later took on the permanent position as general manager of strategy and innovation in 2022 following a restructure.
Hamish Evans, the barrister acting for Podmore's father Phil and brother Mitchell, put to Castle that "it seems incongruous that in one breath High Performance Sport NZ says it's changed", but on the other hand hired Matheson, "who was at the heart of these cultural and conduct issues" at Cycling NZ.
"I certainly understand the challenge, and I can certainly understand for the family that are here today how that is very difficult, and I apologise for any hurt," Castle said.
"But I also have an individual that has had a very, very tough time himself mentally post the event. [He's] reflected on the mistakes he made, applied for a job that was not athlete-facing - and in my professional judgement he was capable of doing that job."
Evans asked Castle if she understood why, in the family's view, Matheson's time in charge of Cycling NZ was regarded as a "legacy of failure".
"I do," she responded.
Andrew Matheson led Cycling NZ from 2014-2018. Photo: Photosport
During the first week of the inquest, which began in November, the court heard evidence from Matheson that his role with HPSNZ saw him based out of the velodrome in Cambridge, where the government agency has offices for support staff.
There, Matheson said he came into contact with Podmore on at least one occasion.
Castle said that before appointing Matheson to the acting general manager role, she had not considered the potential that he might run into the young athlete.
The Sport NZ group manager, whose role was extended to oversee the operations of HPSNZ in April 2021 - four months prior to Podmore's death - told the court that when she first started at the government organisation, Matheson sought her out for a meeting.
"He had a full and frank conversation with me about his time at Cycling [NZ], how difficult it had been, how challenging the situation was for everyone in cycling, including Olivia, and he had acknowledged there were some things with the benefit of hindsight he would have done differently," Castle said.
"He had some significant time away from the sector, but ultimately had a skillset which was adding value to High Performance Sport NZ."
Castle said Matheson, who had previously been working in an acting role, was appointed general manager of strategy and innovation in July 2022 following a "competitive and robust" process.
"Ultimately he was the best candidate. And importantly, that role is a back office role, it deals with the strategy delivery for HPSNZ, and doesn't have any direct athlete contact."
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