MP Tom Rutherford Calls For Inclusive Student Sport After Homeschooled Athlete Denied Medal

In a powerful show of support for home-schooled students, MP for Tauranga Tom Rutherford has called for greater inclusivity in student sport following a meeting with 13-year-old mountain biker Amelia Twiss and her mother, Toni.

Amelia, a talented young athlete, placed second in the North Island Secondary School Mountain Biking Championships. However, she was denied her medal—not because of her performance, but because she is home-schooled.

“This is unfair,” Rutherford wrote in a post shared on his official Instagram account. “Every young athlete deserves recognition for their achievements, no matter how they receive their education.”

Rutherford has since written to Sport and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell, urging a review of School Sport New Zealand (SSNZ) regulations that currently exclude home-schooled students from full participation and recognition in student sport.

“With more than 10,000 home-schooled students across New Zealand, this affects many young Kiwis. Sport should be inclusive for all our young people. I’m committed to helping make that happen,” he added.

HESSA (Home Educators Student Sports Association) welcomes MP Rutherford’s advocacy and applauds his commitment to fairness and equity in youth sport. His stance reflects growing public concern over the systemic exclusion of home-schooled domestic students from school-sanctioned competitions—despite these students being legally recognised under the Education and Training Act 2020.

“Sport is a powerful connector. It builds confidence, fosters friendships, and allows students to be part of a wider sporting community,” said Mel Ewart, Chair of HESSA. “Denying home-schooled students the chance to compete as equals alongside their peers is not just unfair—it’s harmful.”

Currently, home-schooled students are only permitted to participate in individual student sports, but not to compete officially. In team sports such as futsal, table tennis, and hockey, home-schooled students may only join through composite school teams, which are often excluded from championship events while homeschool-only teams are not allowed.

“These restrictions limit access to sport not just nationally, but also at local and regional levels—cutting students off from the weeknight and weekend sports that many of us take for granted.” said Ewart. “This isn’t just about medals—it’s about belonging,” Ewart continued. “When home-schooled teens are excluded from student sport, they’re also excluded from connection, development, and opportunity alongside their friends and peers.”

HESSA is calling for a student sport system where every young person—regardless of their education pathway—can play, compete, and thrive.

To that end, HESSA will be presenting a parliamentary petition in early July, asking that Sport NZ funding be made conditional on allowing home-schooled students to compete in student sport.

“We’re calling on every Kiwi who believes in fairness to stand with us,” said Ewart. “Sign the petition. Help us end sports exclusion for good.”

The petition is available at https://our.actionstation.org.nz/p/sportforall

About HESSA: 

The Home Educators Student Sports Association is the national body representing the rights of approximately 11,000 home-schooled domestic students to engage and compete in student sport. HESSA’s current strategic focus is to ensure equal sporting opportunities for secondary-aged home-schooled students.

As of 1 July 2024, there were 3,956 secondary-age home-schooled students, 1.3% of the national secondary-aged student body who are excluded from equitable access to student sport.

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