WELLINGTON: The New Zealand Cricket Players Association (NZCPA), the players’ representative body across all levels of the game in the country, has updated its players handbook to include guidelines about sexual consent and relationships, New Zealand Herald reports. This is the first time the country has taken such a step in its cricketing history.
The development has come with the #Metoo campaign spreading around the world due to many women claiming harassment at the workplace by men in powerful positions. The thought behind it to make this information more accessible to players across the country.
One of the sections in the handbook is named ‘good decision-making’ which reads: “Making good decisions is important in all aspects of life. This is particularly important when relating to sexual relationships, and especially around matters of consent. No matter the situation, sexual consent is crucial. If they say, it means no.”
The NZCPA has run a programme on the possible risks a cricketer faces in their careers since 2011. However, it has extended its advice into the players’ handbook which also focuses on topics such as personal development, doping and dealing with life after the game.
“If people are making good decisions they’re aware of the risks around being a professional cricketer and are aware of the importance of respect and responsibility, then they’re going to be skills and attributes they’re going to have for life no matter what career they’re involved in,” NZCPA CEO Heath Mills was quoted as saying to New Zealand Herald.
“There’s a whole heap of pages in here, and they’re all aspects of the personal development programme that we run. Good decision-making is one aspect to it.”
