Top coach banned from NZ athletics for ten years

Former athletics coach Jeremy McColl.
Photo: Photosport / David Rowland

Leading New Zealand pole vault coach Jeremy McColl has admitted to years of “improper and inappropriate” conduct and has been banned for 10 years from any involvement in athletics in New Zealand.

McColl who has coached top New Zealand athletes including Olympian Eliza McCartney was investigated after a number of complaints were raised with Athletics NZ in May this year by athletes who McColl has coached or otherwise been involved with.

An independent investigator found that McColl had acted improperly in a number of ways.

This included improper treatment of athletes in the coaching environment (including failure to adequately manage injuries), inappropriate comments to athletes in training sessions, findings of harassment, and of inappropriate communication with athletes through social media and text messages.

Aggravating features of the conduct included that communication with athletes included inappropriate sexual references and that a number of the athletes were minors.

McColl has resigned his role as high performance coach to Athletics NZ.

“I unreservedly apologise for the harm caused to these athletes and recognise that my conduct was not in line with Athletics NZ’s policies or rules and was harmful and inappropriate,” he said in statement.

Athletics New Zealand CEO Pete Pfitzinger.
Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz

In the same statement Athletics NZ chief executive Peter Pfitzinger said the organisation is aware McColl may also be the subject of a police investigation.

“Athletics NZ will cooperate with any investigation undertaken by appropriate authorities, including the Police.”

“Athletics NZ wishes to apologise to the athletes involved for the harm they have suffered while training with Mr McColl.”

A key part of building and protecting a culture of safety is ensuring that unsafe and inappropriate actions are called out, investigated, and action taken,” he said.

-RNZ