Swimming New Zealand (SNZ) became a better organisation when it decided to abandon the centralised training policy. About $35million had been wasted clinging onto a policy demanded by Sport New Zealand. Membership in the sport had been decimated. Swimming had been decimated by the avarice of its leaders.

When SNZ returned responsibility for preparing elite swimmers to the Regions, Clubs and Coaches, it was a good decision, but will take time to work. Repairing the destruction wrought in 20 years of centralised coaching will take longer than five minutes.

To SNZ’s credit, the process of repair is being worked through today. And while it is, I will support those that are rebuilding the sport. I will not join pathetic critics who pick holes in everything SNZ does. In most cases small minds are being attracted to very small things. For example, one post recently said, “Chloe Francis is not updating dud links.” Wow, that’s important. Chloe, you naughty girl. The future of SNZ’s ship of state is hanging by a thread waiting for Chloe and others to get around to finishing off the new website.

I refuse to join that mob of small-minded critics. After the decision to reverse centralised training there are two major issues the Board of SNZ has yet to address.

First, the abolition of three Sport New Zealand appointed Board seats – a return to democracy.

Second, the introduction of a membership trade union to promote member’s rights and interests.

These corrections are important. They will make a sea-change reform in New Zealand swimming. The Board should have a laser-like focus on these issues.

But from time to time there are other important reforms the Board should address. Not whether Chloe has repaired a couple of dud links in a new website. I think the Board can safely ignore criticism from that direction. But issues like gender fairness cannot be ignored.

Three weeks ago, on 20^th June, FINA voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women’s competitions and recommended local associations adopt the same policy. FINA also asked local associations to pass rules that reflected the “elite” policy for junior members.

That is an important directive. SNZ need to address the issue quickly and decisively. Membership protection means very little if the Board fails to enact rules that protect more than 50% of the membership. The current SNZ policy says, SNZ is committed, “to providing an environment for participants of all ages and backgrounds that is safe, free from harassment and abuse, and promotes respectful and positive behaviour and values.”

If SNZ ignores its own rules we are in deep trouble. I do not think it is too much to post website updates on the issue.

• Does the Board have new transgender rules on the agenda for its next meeting?
• What are the New Zealand rules likely to be?
• Is SNZ going to comply with the FINA initiative?

This is a serious issue that affects more than 50% of the members. Three weeks is long enough for SNZ to have dropped its focus from a couple of dud computer links and made decisions on a genuinely important issue. We need to know, what are those gender decisions?

Sadly, one of the premiere legacies from a previous SNZ Chairman was an obsession with secrecy – Antares Place behind closed doors. But on an issue like this, secrecy is not appropriate. It would be sad if SNZ was dragging its feet on an issue of this importance.

Tell us what the Board is doing. Mushroom management is not appropriate. We cannot and should not be kept in the dark and fed shit.