New Zealand is not immune to these types of threats and sporting bodies need to be proactive. Forget the involvement of criminal organisations and New Zealand's lax laws surrounding the importation and possession of performance-enhancing drugs, the biggest risk to New Zealand sport in the fight against corrupting influences is complacent leaders.
Whether it be our isolation from the rest of the world, or the inherent belief that New Zealand sport is founded on the values of fair play, we seem to think we are immune to the threats of doping and match-fixing plaguing world sport. Even after the Australian Crime Commission's explosive findings of widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs, match-fixing and criminal activity in sport across the Tasman, many New Zealand sports bodies are steadfastly clinging to the belief that it couldn't happen in our backyard.
But the message from the panel of experts assembled in Auckland yesterday was clear - New Zealand is not immune to these types of threats and sporting bodies need to be proactive in the fight against doping and match-fixing. We can no longer take for granted that we aren't at risk of such corruption here.
Yet just minutes after that panel discussion wrapped up, the head of one national sports organisation claimed most of the issues that were talked about were not relevant to their sport. That type of head in the sand mentality is exactly what makes New Zealand vulnerable.
As Sport New Zealand chief executive Peter Miskimmin said, integrity in sport is a leadership issue. When the very people charged with establishing policy and upholding those standards do not believe there is a problem, we indeed have a very big problem.
