Ex-Cycling NZ chief exec utive Andrew Matheson was questioned in the coronial inquest and disputed the statements of several other witnesses close to the Rio Olympian.
Podmore died in August 2021, aged 24, and her death prompted a damning inquiry into New Zealand’s high performance sport system.
The inquest has heard evidence that Podmore was bullied by members and coaching staff of the elite cycling team, and sought mental health treatment in the years before her death.
Olivia's mum Nienke Middleton and stepdad Chris Middleton at the Olivia Podmore inquest in the High Court at Hamilton. Photo / Pool
Earlier in the day, the head of Sport NZ told Podmore’s family that the young cyclist’s “very real legacy” could be seen in the many reforms the government agency has undergone in the wake of the Rio Olympian’s tragic death.
Raelene Castle, who also heads up High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ), gave evidence about the steps her organisation had taken to address the raft of issues exposed in a damning inquiry into New Zealand’s high performance system in 2022.
The independent inquiry, led by Mike Heron KC, was instigated after Podmore’s death of a suspected suicide in August 2021.
In an emotional closing to her evidence, Castle asked to address Podmore’s family directly.
“I didn’t know Olivia, but I have got to know you Nienke, Chris, and Mitchell and Phil, and … the thing you’ve said to me is, ‘this has to stand for something, this has to mean something’,” Castle said.
“What I can promise you is that everything we do at High Performance Sport is about trying to make sure that we don’t find ourselves in this situation again, so it is a very real legacy for Olivia in this truly tragic process.”
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