Nine highly-respected experts have been appointed to the inaugural board of the new Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission, Sport & Recreation Minister, Chris Bishop announced today.
“The Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission is a new independent Crown entity which was established under the Integrity Sport and Recreation Act last year, and which will officially commence on 1 July this year,” Mr Bishop says.
The purpose of the new Commission is to enhance integrity in sport and recreation to increase the safety and wellbeing of participants and preserve the fairness of competition.
“The Commission will also take on the responsibility for giving effect to the World Anti-Doping Code in New Zealand, with existing agency Drug Free Sport New Zealand being folded into the new Commission,” the Minister said.
The appointees to the new Commission’s board are:
- Don Mackinnon (Chair)
- Tim Castle
- Traci Houpapa
- Adine Wilson
- Lyndon Bray
- Bobbi-Jo Clark-Heu
- Rebecca McDonald
- Keven Mealamu
- Lesley Nicol
“I am confident that the inaugural board’s collective experience, knowledge and mana will ensure the Commission provides the best supports and protections for Kiwis who take part in recreation and sport at any level in New Zealand, from preschool swimming lessons to wearing the fern on the international stage.”
“Kiwis believe strongly that sporting competition should be fair and clean. New Zealand is rightly held in high regard internationally for our principled and ethical stance on competition that is free of performance-enhancing drugs, and I’m sure with the new Commission established it will continue to be,” said Mr Bishop.
The Board members are:
Don Mackinnon (Chair)
Don Mackinnon (pictured) is one of New Zealand’s leading sports lawyers and directors. He is currently Chair of Super Rugby club The Blues, and is also Chair of the Integrity Vetting
Panel of World Athletics based in Monaco.
Don has previously served as a director of NZ Cricket (and Chair of its High Performance
Committee), Sport NZ, High Performance Sport NZ, was Chair of Netball NZ, and chaired
the Sport and Recreation Integrity Working Group. He has also led several major reviews
into sport.
Adine Wilson
A former Silver Ferns captain, Adine Wilson led New Zealand to a gold medal at the 2006
Commonwealth Games.
A commercial lawyer with Meredith Connell in its sports law team, Adine helped establish
the NZ Netball Players Association, serving on its board for 17 years.
She is a trustee of the Tania Dalton Foundation, and also works as a commentator for Sky
Sports.
Tim Castle
Tim Castle is in private practice as a barrister and is the current Chair of Drug Free Sport
New Zealand.
He is widely known and respected for his expertise and experience, in the fields of national
and international sports law, sports ethics and integrity, mediation and governance.
In addition, Tim has extensive experience over more than 3 decades of work for Iwi/hapū
Māori to advance recognition, integration and settlement of Māori Treaty rights. Tim has
also worked closely with Pacific peoples; he is the Chair of the Pacific Games Sports
Tribunal.
Tim provides strategic advice to national and international umbrella sporting bodies,
athletes and support professionals; and has also represented, as agent and manager,
several elite New Zealand athletes across codes and gender. He is an accredited agent with
NZRPA.
Traci Houpapa MNZM JP
An award-winning professional director and recognised industry leader, Traci Houpapa is a
trusted advisor to Māori, Government and industry on strategic and economic development.
Traci holds a number of leadership and governance roles in the public and private sector
nationally and internationally, including Chiefs Rugby Club and Women in Rugby Aotearoa.
Traci was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to business and Māori in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday honours.
Lyndon Bray
Lyndon Bray has had a rich and varied professional career, which has seen him traverse
both the corporate and sporting worlds over the last 30 years. He is currently a coach and
leadership specialist contracted to Three60 Consult.
Lyndon spent time as Telecom New Zealand’s Induction Training Manager, and at the Bank
of New Zealand where he was the National Training Manager for the People and Culture
Department. He has also served as the Chief Executive of the Tasman Rugby Union.
He is best known for his involvement as an international rugby referee. Following his
retirement from refereeing, Lyndon moved into sports management, leading the Super
Rugby Referee Team at SANZAAR for 10 years. He has run his own business (Coach for
Success) and is also a fully accredited Team Management Services facilitator and coach.
Bobbi-Jo Clark-Heu
Bobbi-Jo Clark-Heu (Waikato, Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Ngāti Te Wehi) is a dedicated
professional with a passion for fostering mutually beneficial relationships across diverse
sectors.
As a Cultural Manager for a large Corporate firm she combines technical expertise with cultural intelligence, evident in her dedication to advancing indigenous perspectives and leadership in various spheres.
Bobbi-Jo has demonstrated an exceptional ability to provide strategic guidance and
develop culturally responsive solutions. Her commitment to excellence extends beyond
professional realms, and includes governance roles including Co-Chair at Recreation
Aotearoa, a board member for the Waikato Institute for Leadership and Sports Studies and
she is also a member of the Rōpū Māori supporting the Integrity in Sport and Recreation
Establishment Board to design the Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission.
Her multifaceted background includes working in the sport and recreation, health and
well-being sectors and encompasses IT, Māori research, and project management,
reflecting her versatility and adaptability in tackling complex challenges.
Her proactive approach to driving organisational growth and fostering cultural
understanding underscores her impact as a leader and advocate for inclusivity and
innovation. She is actively involved in community sport and in her spare time enjoys netball, touch and waka ama.
Rebecca McDonald PLY
Rebecca McDonald (pictured, above) is a New Zealand retired Para swimmer who started sport as a triathlete. She represented New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London and at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. At the 2016 Games, she won the bronze medal in the women’s 100m backstroke S7.
Rebecca retired from high-performance sport in 2019 and initially had a permanent position in community communications with the Halberg Foundation. Rebecca was also appointed by Sport NZ as a ‘Balance is Better’ champion. She now works for disability led communications consultancy All is for All, and is on the board of Arts Access Aotearoa and
is an Ambassador for the Halberg Foundation.
She was selected for the NZ Olympic Committee’s Wāhine Toa programme in 2023. The programme supports selected Olympians, Paralympians and Commonwealth Games athletes to transition from sport performance to leadership roles including coaching, governance and change management.
Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu (main photo) of South Auckland, is an active member in his community, having recently serving a term in local government for Papakura from 2019 – 2022.
Keven has been a board member for Drug Free Sport New Zealand and Auckland Rugby since 2017. He made 132 appearances for the All Blacks from 2002 to 2015.
He is a popular role model for young NZ and Pasifika people and has served as an Ambassador for NZ Rugby’s ‘Headfirst’ wellbeing campaign and ‘Auckland Blues Rugby
‘Best Foot Forward’ initiative.
In the 2016 New Year Honours, Mr Mealamu was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Rugby.
Lesley Nicol (Rumball) ONZM
Dr Lesley Nicol ONZM is a medical practitioner and Specialist Sport and Exercise Physician based at Pinnacle Sports Physicians in Christchurch.
She is a former NZ Netball (Silver Ferns) player (1994-2005) and captain (1996/97 and 2000-2002) including being a member of the 2003 World Netball Champion team.
Lesley has had a lengthy involvement in player welfare and integrity issues and has actively participated on panels and as a mentor in this regard. She was a member of the 2022
HPSNZ/Cycling NZ Independent Review and the 2021 Gymnastics NZ Independent Review.
She has been awarded an ONZM for services to sport and is a member of the NZ Sports Hall of Fame. Her sports governance background includes previously being a board member of Drug Free Sport New Zealand for 10 years, a member of the NZ Olympic Committee NZOC) Athletes’ Commission for 6 years, athlete’s representative on the Commonwealth Games Federation Board, a prior NZOC Board Member and is currently a member of the
NZOC Selection Committee.
