The country's leading sporting organisations, led by New Zealand rugby, have come together to encourage greater diversity across all codes, in an effort to stamp out homophobia and racism in sport.
As part of the announcement New Zealand Rugby, New Zealand Football, New Zealand Cricket, New Zealand Rugby League, Netball New Zealand and Hockey New Zealand have committed to establishing a framework for diversity and inclusion within the individual organisations and establishing a programme of agreed areas of focus by 31 December 2016.
New Zealand Rugby Chief Executive Steve Tew said the sports-led approach stemmed from a common desire to do more to encourage diversity and inclusion across all sport following the findings of the Out on the Fields research in 2015, the first international study on homophobia in sport.
"In working alongside other major sports, we've seen that rugby is not unique in the challenges it faces to be considered truly inclusive in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and ability.
"This is not about creating a single policy aimed at one particular area of inclusion but teaming up with other sports to get the message across that everyone should be encouraged and be able to participate and enjoy sport without prejudice and in welcoming environments."
