He told a packed audience at the Otago Museum yesterday the ORFU crisis highlighted how complicated and challenging sport administration had become.
"You need the best people on boards in order to manage risk," Miskimmin said. "There needs to be a combination of dedicated people from the sport as well as independent board members."
Miskimmin said boards of sports bodies "can go belly-up in a big way when they spend too much money chasing pots of gold".
He conceded boards could become lopsided when they were elected just from passionate people within the sport.
Miskimmin said a mixed board got the best results.
"You need people from your sport. Good constitutions have a balance of people elected from your sport and others who are independently appointed.
'We are now finding that new constitutions have that balance of independent and elected members.
"It means that you can stay away from the politics of the sport and get quality people on boards." Miskimmin is adamant accountability for the sport must rest with the board.
"In any situation they must take collective responsibility for what has happened," he said.
The ORFU's collapse highlighted the complexities of modern sport, Miskimmin said. Sport New Zealand wanted to strengthen boards and governance of sport throughout the country.
"Sport is a more challenging environment now. Good-quality boards and good-quality governance are essential."
It might mean that sports bodies would have to change their constitutions in order to get top-class boards, and also reflect a better gender balance.
"We are keen to provide more opportunities for women to get on boards and to work with sports that want to change their constitutions to allow that to happen.
"There is a lack of gender balance across boards and national sporting organisations in New Zealand at the moment. Our belief is that a better gender-balanced board leads to better outcomes and better decision-making."
