Sport New Zealand has officially withdrawn its guidelines on the inclusion of transgender athletes in community sports following direct instruction from the Government, prompted by pressure from coalition partner New Zealand First.
The decision comes after NZ First leader Winston Peters threatened to strip funding from sporting codes that continue to implement gender inclusion policies, which he claims undermine fairness in competition.
In a statement on Thursday morning, Sport NZ chief executive Raelene Castle confirmed the voluntary Guiding Principles for the Inclusion of Transgender People in Community Sport — first introduced in 2022 — had been removed from the organisation’s website at the direction of the Government.
“These guiding principles have now been taken down,” Castle said, “and sporting organisations are advised to make their own decisions on the participation of transgender people in community sport.”
The guidelines had no bearing on elite-level sport but were intended to help community sports clubs implement inclusive practices. The central tenet of the document was that “transgender people can take part in sports in the gender they identify with”.
Government Says Inclusion Principles No Longer Align with Policy
In a letter addressed to Sport NZ on Tuesday, Minister for Sport Mark Mitchell explained that under the coalition agreement formed last year, Sport NZ should not be publishing such principles.
“The Government has a role in making sport accessible to all New Zealanders by creating opportunities, not in providing principles as to who should be included and how,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell added that decision-making around trans inclusion should now be left entirely up to individual sports and community organisations.
Winston Peters Threatens to Cut Funding for Trans-Inclusive Codes
Peters, whose party secured inclusion-focused clauses in the 2023 coalition deal, reiterated to The New Zealand Herald that he expects codes to comply with the new stance — or risk losing funding.
“We’re saying to the sports out there, ‘Well, if you want to ignore it, don’t expect public or taxpayer funding’,” he said.
Citing public backlash over trans athletes such as Laurel Hubbard and Kate Weatherly, Peters argued the Government’s approach is based on protecting “fairness”, not inclusion.
“We faced all sorts of woke nonsense about how we couldn’t do this and it was unfair,” he said. “The very point that we’re pushing is fairness.”
Legal Questions Remain Over Ministerial Power
While Peters’ threats are politically charged, legislation may limit how far the Government can go. Under the Sport and Recreation New Zealand Act 2002, the Minister for Sport cannot direct Sport NZ regarding how it allocates funding.
However, the Government can influence funding levels to Sport NZ and express expectations around policy direction.
Sports Codes Caught in the Crossfire
The decision may place pressure on national codes such as New Zealand Rugby, Netball NZ, and New Zealand Cricket, all of which have worked on — or implemented — policies allowing trans inclusion in some form.
NZ Rugby’s community head Mike Hester noted the code was still finalising its approach, but that “ideally” trans athletes should be allowed to play in the gender with which they identify.
Netball NZ requires trans women to submit documentation confirming gender reassignment and hormone treatment before participating in female competitions. Umpires may intervene if safety concerns arise.
Rainbow Advocates Condemn the Move
Opposition parties and LGBTQIA+ advocates have slammed the Government’s decision as regressive and politically motivated.
Labour’s rainbow issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert said:
“All New Zealanders deserve the right to participate in community sport with empathy, dignity, and respect—no matter their gender identity. This Government is showing, once again, that it doesn’t care about minorities.”
Green MP and takatāpui spokesperson Benjamin Doyle added:
“These guidelines were just that – guidelines that could keep our communities safe… now they’ve been scrapped. Minister Mark Mitchell said himself there was nothing wrong with the guidelines. It is abundantly clear that this is a political move to appease coalition partners and appeal to some of the most hate-filled corners of our society.”
