In an unprecedented move, the Sports Tribunal has intervened in the Olympic selection process, siding with rising mountain bike star Sammie Maxwell and ensuring her nomination for the New Zealand Olympic Team. This decision overrides Cycling New Zealand’s initial exclusion of the young athlete.
On Friday, the tribunal released its ruling, citing a rarely invoked clause to make a “conclusive determination” on Maxwell’s Olympic nomination. The tribunal found significant flaws in the nomination process, warranting the acceptance of Maxwell’s appeal.
“After evaluating the evidence and oral submissions from all parties, the Tribunal is convinced that the nomination process was flawed, justifying the approval of the appeal,” the decision stated.
Due to the urgent timeline faced by officials, the tribunal decided it was “impracticable to refer the question of nomination back to [Cycling NZ].” Consequently, the tribunal directly nominated Maxwell for Olympic selection, leaving the final decision to the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) selectors.
A spokesperson for the NZOC indicated that the selectors are awaiting the tribunal’s full reasoning before making a final assessment of Maxwell’s case. Although the official entry deadline for the Olympic Games has passed, extensions are possible in special circumstances like this one. The NZOC is expected to announce the mountain biking team for Paris later this week.
While the tribunal has yet to release the detailed reasons for its decision, a source within the cycling community described the case as “incredibly complex,” attracting significant attention from High Performance Sport NZ officials.
Maxwell’s appeal was based on four key grounds:
Cycling NZ’s failure to properly implement its criteria.
Lack of reasonable opportunity for Maxwell to meet the nomination criteria.
Alleged bias affecting the nomination decision.
Absence of a reasonable basis for the nomination decision.
The specific grounds on which Maxwell’s appeal succeeded remain unclear. Notably, Cycling NZ’s decision to exclude Maxwell was reportedly not performance-related.
Maxwell, 22, has been recognized as one of mountain biking’s most promising talents, having won the under-23 cross country world championship last year and securing a third-place finish in the World Cup circuit. Despite her success, she faced a challenging season, withdrawing from early World Cup rounds in Brazil to address personal issues.
In a candid interview with TVNZ’s Breakfast program last month, Maxwell revealed her ongoing battle with an eating disorder and the pressures of an old cycling culture focused on power-to-weight ratios.
“I’ve learned that my best performance comes when I’m supported by people who remind me that suffering should only happen on the bike, not off it,” Maxwell said. She emphasized the importance of kindness to her body and the supportive environment she now finds herself in, which has already led to improvements in her career sustainability.
Maxwell recently returned to the World Cup circuit with her Decathlon Ford racing team, achieving a top 10 finish in France and demonstrating her resilience and potential.
The final decision on Maxwell’s Olympic journey now lies with the NZOC selectors, who must weigh the tribunal’s findings and Maxwell’s recent performances as they finalize the team for Paris.
