Olivia Podmore's mother, Nienke Middleton, in court on the first day of the inquest into her daughter's suspected suicide. Photo: Pool / RNZ, Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Warning: This story discusses mental health and suicide
The mother of Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore has asked an inquest into her suspected suicide to remember her daughter with the kindness and dignity that she deserved.
On Monday, coroner Luella Dunn opened an inquest for Podmore, who died in a suspected suicide in August 2021 - less than 24 hours after the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
The inquest got off to an emotional start when Podmore's family made opening statements to the court.
Before evidence got underway, Podmore's mother, Nienke Middleton, took the opportunity to remind the court who the person behind the headlines was.
"The next few weeks are going to be incredibly challenging for me. I'm going to have to sit here listening to people tell their versions of who my daughter was, what she did and why she did it.
"Before you start, I want to tell you exactly who she was. Livi was the most wonderful daughter I could ever have hoped for. She was strong, determined and when she wanted something she didn't let anything get in her way.
"When she wasn't a hurricane she was the most caring, loving and happy girl you could imagine. We talked most days, we laughed and cried together and we had a beautiful mother-daughter relationship. One I'm forever grateful for and will always cherish.
"All I ask of everyone is to be respectful. Livi was a kind, happy girl who inspired many with her warm and vivacious personality. Please remember my daughter with the kindness and dignity she deserves."
Olivia's father Phillip Podmore (right) and her brother Mitchell (pictured left) in court during the inquest. Photo: Pool / RNZ, Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Christchurch lawyer Hamish Evans, representing Podmore's father Phil and brother Mitchell, told the court the talented young sprint cyclist's death was a "grievous, senseless and entirely preventable tragedy".
"How could the situation have arisen where a young star of New Zealand cycling got to the point when she considered the only option available was to take her own life on the afternoon of August, 9 2021."
A former Cycling NZ employee has told the inquest that Podmore, who was a Rio Olympian, was "furious" with how key details of an 2018 inquiry into Cycling NZ were "amended" by the national body ahead of the report's publication.
Jessica Massey, who worked for the national body for more than a decade, including as campaign manager during a critical period in 2014-2017, was a key contributor alongside Podmore to Mike Heron's independent review of Cycling NZ in 2018, following allegations of bullying, intimidation and an inappropriate coach-athlete relationship.
Central to Heron's report was the treatment of Podmore, who he found had been pressured to "cover up" for her team-mate who was intimately involved with one of the coaching staff after their relationship was exposed following an incident in Bordeaux, France in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympic Games.
Both the coach and the athlete cannot be named due to suppression orders in place.
Massey said she became close with Podmore following the incident in Bordeaux.
"We were triggered in trauma," said Massey, who was sent home from Bordeaux after raising serious concerns about the behaviour of the coach.
Former CNZ campaign manager, Jessica Massey giving evidence at the inquest. Photo: Pool / RNZ, Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The former Cycling NZ employee submitted to the court that Podmore was bullied and ostracised after returning from the Rio Games.
"Upon the cycling team's return to New Zealand, the bullying against Olivia escalated. The surrounding sprint squad, both athletes and coaches, enforced the hierarchy that [the coach] had set.
"There were occasions where I would be out for coffee with Olivia, and she would be receiving text messages from her team telling her to 'shut her mouth'. It was awful to see. I felt that I had done all that I could in attempting to prompt senior leadership to take action against this behaviour."
The issues stemming back to Bordeaux did not come to a head for another 18 months, when media reports surfaced of a "toxic culture" in the Cycling NZ high performance programme. The widespread reporting prompted High Performance Sport NZ to carry out an independent inquiry into Cycling NZ.
Heron's investigation uncovered "distressing and sinister" examples of bullying, a lack of accountability and "sub-optimal" leadership in the programme, "opaque" selection methods, a culture where there was a fear of reprisal for speaking up, and that poor standards of behaviour were accepted of those deemed critical to the success of the programme.
However, Massey said that she and Podmore were unhappy with how certain incidents were portrayed in the final report.
"We were furious at how the details in relation to the Bordeaux incident had been amended from the previous version we had read," Massey submitted in the brief of evidence.
"The CEO of CNZ at the time, Andrew Matheson, was given the final review of the report. He had added footnotes throughout the report saying that he was not aware or advised of the issues we said we had reported to him. We had time-stamped emails and screenshots of when he was notified of these reports that clearly disproved Andrew's assertion."
Massey said Podmore later tried to address the omissions in the report as part of "further outcomes" with Cycling NZ's leadership.
She got emotional when she recalled seeing the letter Podmore received in response from former Cycling NZ chief executive Andrew Matheson.
The letter informed Podmore that Cycling NZ had considered the additional points raised after the Heron report, and it considered the matter to be closed.
"She sent me the letter and it was just, 'Same shit, different day. Can you believe this, for f***'s sake'," Massey told the court.
"I said to her, 'Liv, this is a legal matter, this is a personal grievance, you can take it further.
"She just wanted to move on and be the best athlete she could be, and she didn't feel like pursuing it any further and having it affect her standing in the organisation."
Barrister Hamish Evans in court representing Podmore's father, Phil, and brother, Mitchell. Photo: Pool / RNZ, Cole Eastham-Farrelly
'Cycling NZ put her in a position where she got bullied and ostracised'
Detailing Podmore's time in the Cycling NZ programme, lawyer Hamish Evans described the events in Bordeaux and the fallout that followed as a "low point".
"Cycling New Zealand put her in a position where she got bullied and ostracised … it must have been a truly awful position for a young athlete to find themselves in through no fault of their own."
Evans also spoke of Podmore's heartbreak at missing out on selection for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
"For an elite athlete whose world revolved around being a full-time track cyclist competing internationally for the country, this was a devastating blow. It was all the more devastating because Olivia did not understand why she was not selected.
"She tried to appeal that decision, and questions remain."
Olivia Lund, representing High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ), acknowledged the challenges Podmore faced in the system, for which the organisation is "deeply sorry".
"At the outset, HPSNZ wants to emphasise that it acknowledges and accepts the culture and conduct issues within the cycling high performance environment, as identified in the Heron Report in 2018, were a significant stressor for Olivia.
"HPSNZ also accepts that Olivia's perception of unfair treatment, including non-selection for the Tokyo Olympics, was a significant stressor for Olivia and affected her mental health," Lund submitted on behalf of HPSNZ.
However, HPSNZ cited suicide is "not always predictable, or preventable".
More than 25 witnesses will be called during the three-week hearing, including Podmore's former coaches, past and present leaders of Cycling NZ and High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ) officials.
Where to get help:
- Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
- Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
- Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
- Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
- What's Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm
- Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English.
- Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
- Healthline: 0800 611 116
- Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
- OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
