Abstract
New Zealand/Aotearoa (pop. 5 million) is a small state located in the South Pacific. Comprising two main islands, it enjoys a temperate climate, suitable for outdoor sports year-round. Like many states, sport has played an integral part in the development of its national identity (Jackson & Andrews, 1999). National pride has long been imbued in the country's iconic rugby team, the All Blacks but equally, since the 1960s and prior to any state involvement, New Zealand reputedly 'punched above its weight' at the Olympic Games (Sam, 2015). Consequently, it was not until a series of disappointing performances in the late 1990s and early 2000s that elite sport came within the direct purview of government.