Letters to the editor: MIQ spots for sports teams a contentious issue

Defence Force staff outside a Rotorua MIQ facility. Photo / NZME

OPINION

The issue of MIQ allocations for sportspeople is highly contentious. In 2021 hundreds of MIQ allocations have been for sports groups (News, September 17).

If you're part of a team sport, especially one involving a ball, your MIQ placement appears to be almost guaranteed, whether or not it's a returning NZ team or visiting team.

Unfortunately, many of our individual athletes, who also wear the silver fern, miss out.

According to Grant Robertson, finding spaces for teams is hugely complex. Finding individual placements must be infinitely simpler yet seems almost impossible.

Is this because popular team sports have big-name sponsors, highly paid players and Government appeal? Does international approval mean more than supporting the 'small fish'?

Individual athletes travel to do their job, not holiday. They are New Zealand taxpayers. They are not New Zealanders who, after years working and paying tax abroad, have decided that the grass is now greener back home.

Similarly, the Wiggles got placements, moneyed America's Cup supporters got placements, 400 staff going to a Dubai expo have placements. Why so many when one of the focuses is tourism? What tourism?

We can be sure the Black Caps will get emergency allocations, while many individual athletes languish, hoping.

Paddi Hodgkiss
Rotorua

Match venue 'immaculate'

Regarding the Bay of Plenty Premier Senior 1 rugby final - congratulations to Tauranga Sports for their victory over Whakarewarewa.

However, I would like to congratulate Whakarewarewa for the superb presentation of their field and its layout for the occasion.

It's a wonderful venue, excellent for the event. Especially for its marking and contained venue under level 2 restrictions. It was immaculate, and it was a delight to watch the game there.

May the Whakarewarewa Sports Club enjoy future success and participation.

PS Whakarewarewa won the second half and a silver medal!

Alan Lord
Rotorua

No mystery in masks

Yet another childhood belief has been shattered by this horrid pandemic.

For most of my younger life, I had watched on film and TV and read comic books giving me the belief - now false - that a mask was disguise absolute.

The Lone Ranger, Jesse James, Robin Hood, Dick Turpin and many other heroes had only to lift a kerchief or stick on an eye cover and no one could recognise them! (Apart from Clark Kent and Superman - Lois could never tell them apart.)

But now I can walk around Countdown or any other store and be greeted by the several friends I know - all who have no problem seeing through my white mask.

Curses, foiled again!

Jim Adams
Rotorua

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