Podmore Inquest: Matheson Disputes Bullying Claims Amid Ongoing Investigations

Coronial Inquest into Olivia Podmore’s Death

Andrew Matheson testified this morning in the coronial inquest regarding Olivia Podmore’s death at the Hamilton District Court. His statements contradicted various accounts from other witnesses close to the late cyclist.

Matheson claimed he was unaware of any “unrelenting bullying” directed at Podmore by a former Cycling New Zealand (CNZ) coach. Allegations included derogatory comments about Podmore’s abilities and body. When questioned about a hypothetical response to such bullying, Matheson suggested it would depend on the circumstances and would likely be treated as a code of conduct violation.

Podmore, an athlete who competed in the Rio Olympics, passed away the day after the Tokyo Olympics concluded on August 9, 2021. Her death followed a difficult selection process impacted by COVID-19 and other controversies.

In 2016, Podmore reported an inappropriate relationship between a CNZ coach and a teammate, which led to significant fallout and a 2018 independent review by Mike Heron KC that labeled the coach-athlete relationship as “inappropriate.”

Matheson did not recall a key meeting held in 2018 with Jessica Massey, a close friend of Podmore. Massey voiced concerns about Podmore’s treatment within CNZ. In her statement, she mentioned drafting reports that went unaddressed and questioned why her reports were not considered formal.

Matheson stated he did not remember sending Podmore a letter shortly before his resignation in December 2018. He emphasized that by then he was exhausted and on limited duties, unable to recall who managed his responsibilities in his absence.

Furthermore, Matheson asserted that he first acquired proof of the coach-athlete relationship in a May 2018 meeting with Podmore. However, evidence indicated he had prior knowledge, as evidenced by an email exchange in May 2017 referencing serious concerns about the coach’s behavior.

Paterson, a CNZ strength and conditioning coach, described a meeting in 2018 where Podmore revealed her emotional distress caused by bullying and the fallout from her experience related to the Bordeaux incident. Matheson described Podmore as brave and articulate during their discussions, contradicting claims that she was distressed.

Eric Murray, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and friend of Podmore, revealed that her mental state worsened as she watched others succeed in the Tokyo Olympics, exacerbating her feelings of inadequacy after not being selected for the Games.

Coroner Louella Dunn stated at the outset of the inquiry that Podmore’s death was caused by suicide. The inquiry aims to explore the mental health challenges Podmore faced and the response from High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ) and CNZ.

Key inquiries include:

• The circumstances surrounding Podmore’s death.
• The knowledge and responses of HPSNZ and CNZ regarding Podmore’s mental health challenges.
• The adequacy of those responses.
• Potential improvements in handling similar cases today.

Around 30 witnesses are expected, including Podmore’s family and former CNZ staff. The Middletons have faced significant hurdles to obtain Podmore’s medical records, revealing disturbing information.

The inquest highlights ongoing issues within high-performance sports, specifically regarding athlete well-being and accusations of a culture that may have failed Podmore and others.