The World Cup final, and Defence double standards in the Pacific
The World Cup is over and the good guys won, geo-politically speaking. When China fired a test missile a few weeks ago, it was as if the sky had fallen in.
Social issues
sport
Sport Must Stand Up. Sport Must Lead. Sport Must Include Everyone.
Guest post from Louisa Wall. The government’s decision to scrap Sport New Zealand’s transgender inclusion guidelines for community sport is not leadership. It is exclusion by neglect.
What does this Government have against Te Ao Māori?
Te Ao Māori forms an increasingly important part of our cultural identity. And most of us realise this and celebrate it. This Government’s stance is at odds with this increasingly strong consensus.
Gender Essentialists Hate the Olympics
The Olympics are a real persistent problem for gender essentialists.
Rules-based cricket disorder
“It isn’t cricket” supposedly set the ethical standard around the British Empire for over a century. Last week saw Lords, the ‘home of cricket,’ validate a damning report about racism, elitism, classism and sexism in British cricket just days after it was issued.
Gender recognition: woke-ism or human rights?
This debate is about every teenager, anywhere in the world, questioning their gender and sexual identity. This is about the person who after years of suffering, at some point in their lives decides they wish to identify as having a gender identity different to that of their birth.
Equality for the Black Ferns
After the epic Women’s World Cup result from last night’s final the question has to be asked, why aren’t the Black Ferns and the All Blacks paid the same amount?
The Year Skiing Died
Climate change has ensured that this is the winter that broke skiing.
Another partial privatisation that has failed
I watched the Rugby test on Saturday night. One side played with passion and vigour. Their forward pack dominated and the defensive effort from the backs was superb. The other side was the All Blacks who displayed all the passion and vigour of a National Party conference.
Women who challenged the male domination of sport
History PhD student @LottieHistory wrote a twitter thread recently on the work women have done to participate in sport.
Revisiting sports, trans inclusiveness and women’s sex based rights
The UK Sports Council has released new guidance on trans inclusion in sports, including in relation to biological women
Our modern Olympics
The Olympics is an opera that runs on one orchestrated symbol after another, and this Tokyo Olympics is a superabundant tragedy.
The problem with English Soccer
Last week’s final between England and Italy showed that there is still an ugly racist underside to what should be a beautiful game.
The America’s Cup is just another spinoff
We need less presumed hold over Team New Zealand, and more encouragement of more spinoff businesses that make their way in the world.
The Most Blacks
The New Zealand Rugby Union is currently in the process of selling its soul to the devil, in this case a private equity firm called Silver Lake. This made me reflect on what the NZRU is selling.
The European Super League – a proposal that has united Britain
There are few issues where UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Labour Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn see eye to eye, yet this proposal has achieved just that. Rarer still to have the Second Heir to the Throne comment on such matters saying it would be “damaging.”
Americas Cup is New Zealand’s cup?
It appears that the Government and Auckland Council have spent $250 million on an event the organisers of which are now making plans to go overseas in pursuit of the big corporate dollars.
How This Government Can Still Win
Some suggestions on how Labour can retain power at the next election.
Head Theory
The English team have reintroduced the infamous bodyline approach to their cricket. The 20th century euphemism for it was “leg theory,” in the 21st century it is better described as “head theory.” “It isn’t cricket” used to be the Englishman’s definer for noble values. Not any more.
Aussies – utterly predictable right down to the last words.
It isn’t often that I read a sports story. My view was that if you aren’t doing a sport, then what is the point in watching others doing it? Work on something that you can do. However a title on an aussie ABC article caught me – “New Zealand earn genuine respect”. Now that was unusual…
Folau’s rights to free speech are not being attacked
Israel Folau’s difficulties are not examples of an attack on free speech or religious beliefs.
Mark Richardson wants to be a Nat MP
Mark Richardson thinks he may have a future career and will be able to transform from overpaid TV personality to overpaid public representative.
But, Rugby!
On top of RSA bigots baying about the use of a prayer on ANZAC day, rugby fans are getting exercised about the possibility of the Canterbury team changing its obviously offensive name. Apparently empathy with the innocent dead in Christchurch only lasts until kick off.
The All Blacks should give up
The All Blacks keep winning everything and it is incredibly bad for the game.
Young man there’s no need to feel down
The person in control of Christchurch Stadium’s PA system has performed the most outstanding burn on Israel Folau’s homophobic beliefs.
free-to-air sports
The comprehensive Commonwealth Games coverage on free-to-air TV is refreshing and something we need to see a lot more of.
Underpants not Underarm
In the days of the British Raj unsportsmanlike behaviour was condemned by saying “it isn’t cricket.” Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft hiding ball-tampering sandpaper in his trousers in a forlorn attempt to avoid the cameras showed that for Aussies “it is cricket.” We’ve seen it before of course with the Chappells. Heads must roll.
Roger Federer
Why Roger Federer is my favourite athlete.
Sport, politics and equality
Ok, so I know I’m rather late to the party on this but I figured that equality is timeless and it would be […]
Why New Zealand should support the Tongan League team and forget about the Americas Cup
The Tongan national league team has invigorated Auckland in a way I have not previously seen basically for nothing. Meanwhile Team New Zealand and the Americas Cup are demanding hundreds of millions of dollars for economic benefits that the recipients should be paying for.
The Rugby League World Cup
Something slightly different. Congratulations to the Tongan and Fijian Rugby League teams for playing out of their skins beating the Kiwi league team and for having the most passionate fans.
Congratulations Black Ferns!
The All Blacks won a game last night, but it is the Black Ferns who own the front page of the (online) Herald today. An overdue sign of changing times. Good stuff.
America’s Cup win
Congratulations to Team NZ and supporters. That was a very convincing win, and a testimony to Kiwi design skills, sailing skills and tenacity. Everyone involved has a right to enjoy the victory! But…
Take a lesson from the All Blacks
The Japanese proved decades ago that shared ownership – involving workers in management – is a highly successful and productive model. Seems that it works for the All Blacks too.
NZ: Home of Rugby, Raping and Beer
The whitewash of the rugby players who assaulted a woman at a post season piss up has been released. A mightily relieved rugby boss Steve Tew can now go into the rest of the season knowing that the All Black squad will not be affected by the loss of any players to suspension. The only person to have lost their job over the incident is the victim. How cool is that?
NZ at the Olympics
Congratulations to all the athletes representing NZ at the Olympics!