Norm Hewitt on sport and alcohol

Former All Blacks hooker Norm Hewitt believes there needs to be a culture change for alcohol and sport. Photo/ file.

FoWith the latest alcohol and sport related incident former All Black Norm Hewitt believes there needs to be a change in society before there is a change within the sporting culture.

Mr Hewitt, who was involved in an alcohol related incident himself after breaking into a Queenstown hotel room in 1999, has since become a strong advocate for changing drinking habits.

"There needs to be a culture change and I think at certain levels there already has."

The former Te Aute College student said, as an observer, he felt there had been a definite change with full professionals but local club rugby still had a long way to go with court sessions and casual drinks after training or matches.

"Compared to when I was in the All Blacks I think there is now so much more evidence, science and technologies around the problems of alcohol."

He said it takes a special kind of athlete to win back to back Rugby World Cups and the difference was based on the formulas used to achieve their successes.

Mr Hewitt said alcohol was so socially acceptable and available and the attitudes he had observed in small, medium and big communities towards it had not changed.

"It is causing huge damage to communities and when we look at sport and alcohol it is through just one lens. I think we have a long way to go before we mature in that space and the conversation needs to keep going.

"We will know we're in big trouble if petrol stations start selling alcohol."

With regards to whether New Zealand athletes are over-represented, Mr Hewitt said whether they like it or not, they are classed as role models and therefore any mistake they make will get attention.

When Mr Hewitt came under the public spotlight he was resentful towards the media, but later realised he only had himself to blame.

"Just the other day a well known Cantabrian was publicised for losing his licence and I wonder if he was not a big businessman would it have gone public.

He said lots of people get caught on a daily basis but only those high profile people are reported.

"Is it rightly so or wrong, I think it is up to the people to make their own decision."