Fears World Cup could alienate NZ's migrants

Wellington's annual Sevens tournament excites the fans, but it's suggested many New Zealanders will be unmoved by the World Cup in 2011. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Research into whether the 2011 Rugby World Cup could isolate New Zealand's migrant communities is being urged by an academic adviser to the tournament.

But the suggestion has brought strong criticism from a Rugby Union board member.

Geoff Dickson, associate director of the Tourism Research Institute at the Auckland University of Technology, said New Zealand should find ways to minimise the World Cup's divisive potential.

He said the focal point for the country's successful bid - that the tournament would be played out before "a stadium of four million people" - was based on a "fairytale dream".

Dr Dickson, who will be on the soon-to-be-launched World Cup research advisory board, said a large number of "new" New Zealanders were from non-rugby backgrounds "who couldn't care less about the game" - in particular, the growing number from countries such as China, India and Korea.

Studies done during the last soccer World Cup in Germany showed that although the event gave rise to a sense of national pride among Germans, it also increased a sense of xenophobia.

Dr Dickson said the Rugby World Cup could affect New Zealand in a similar way.

"It is likely that the 'New Zealand equals rugby' message will become deafening by 2011, but the problem lies in that many new New Zealanders may struggle to get it or connect with rugby," he said.

"So, by extension, the event may actually serve to reinforce or highlight differences, rather than bring communities closer together."

Questions that Dr Dickson wants answered in the research include:

Will the Rugby World Cup act as a "wedge" that isolates New Zealand's migrant, refugee and ethnic communities even further by reinforcing differences between them and the dominant groups within New Zealand?

What programmes or initiatives should be developed to help these communities engage in the event whilst minimising its divisive potential?

"It is important the conversations between and amongst the New Zealand sporting community, migrant support and advocacy groups and the academic community begin sooner rather than later," Dr Dickson said, "so that initiatives might be developed to increase the likelihood that a wide variety of New Zealanders are able to enjoy what promises to be a very exciting event."

However, Ken Douglas, a New Zealand Rugby Union board member and deputy chairman of the Asia New Zealand Foundation, has slammed Dr Dickson's claim that rugby has a "divisive potential" as "plain bullshit".

Mr Douglas disagreed that most new immigrants were unfamiliar with rugby, saying that even China had sent a team from its People's Liberation Army to New Zealand a few years ago.

"Rugby is a world game that has been in Asia for many, many years, introduced by the British expatriate communities, and its popularity is also fuelled by the fact that it will likely be introduced as part of the Olympics within the next two Games."

Mr Douglas believed the Rugby World Cup would bring people together at various levels and foster a stronger New Zealand spirit, rather than isolate communities.

Massey University regional director Paul Spoonley, head of a major research project on the integration of immigrants, says his study covers their participation in sports in Auckland.

He will release his findings next month.