New Zealand is not kidding around with the requirement for parity in national sports bodies. The rugby federation, New Zealand Rugby, has been fined for failing to comply with the 40% rule for women on its board. It will see its annual public subsidy, paid by Sport New Zealand to national federations, cut by NZ$280,000 (€170,000). As of 31 December 2021, New Zealand Rugby was the only one of the 65 national sporting bodies not to have a 40% quota of women on its board, a requirement set by the government. Only three of New Zealand Rugby’s nine board members are currently women. Raelene Castle, Sport New Zealand’s chief executive, commented: “While they have made real progress towards compliance, with three women on the nine-member board, New Zealand Rugby has indicated that the earliest they could be in compliance with the 40% female representation target is likely to be April 2023.” As a result, the rugby union could be fined again next year.
