AUCKLAND: The New Zealand government has announced a US$2 million package to upgrade players' facilities, like toilets, at the venues and training arenas for the 2022 ICC Womens World Cup as it aims to make them gender neutral.
Wellington's Basin Reserve, Seddon Park at Hamilton, Hagley Oval in Christchurch, University Oval in Dunedin and the NZC High Performance Centre at Lincoln University are the venues that will be upgraded.
Eden Park, a venue that could host matches across all three women's world cups (cricket, rugby and football), has also been earmarked for gender-neutral upgrades, while Tauranga's Bay Oval has been assessed as already being at an acceptable standard.
The upgrades focus on redevelopment of player facilities, including toilets, to make them gender neutral and of a standard befitting the world's best players.
"Facilities that are tailored for men are not always right for women, and part of this funding is about changing that, so we are good hosts for the world's best women's players in 2022," Deputy Prime Minister Robertson said. IANS