Who could argue against rugby and other major New Zealand sporting codes making a public commitment to "diversity'' and "inclusion''?
These words represent ideals. Ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or disability should not be a barrier to the full participation, opportunities and enjoyment in sport. Everyone should be welcome.
Rugby, cricket, rugby league, football, netball, hockey, the New Zealand Olympic Committee and Sport New Zealand recently agreed at a public signing to a statement designed to help develop and implement policies to encourage greater diversity and inclusion in their sports.
They committed to developing and implementing policies, programmes and practices to that effect.
The statement becomes general: "By working on targeted priorities and strategies within their own sporting environments and by collaborating across all sports those involved will ensure meaningful activity is undertaken to improve inclusion, promote diversity and eliminate discrimination within the sporting culture of New Zealand.''
Then there is a specific date, December 31 this year, by when the organisations commit to establishing a framework and programme of agreed areas of focus.
It still all sounds vague, and the proof will be in what is produced - most significantly to changes in attitudes. Sports usually follow rather than lead social change. They are generally conservative strongholds, as illustrated by last year's study across six English-speaking countries, "Out on the Fields''.
It is no surprise to learn, of those surveyed in New Zealand, 19% of gay men and 4% of lesbians said they had received verbal threats of harm, 15% of gay men and 2% of lesbians had been physically assaulted and 87% of gay men and 76% of lesbians received verbal insults.
A contact sport like rugby is especially physical, even intimate, and many participants and supporters have been openly hostile to anything homosexual. In some ways this reflects the surrounding culture, and in some ways it amplifies it.
The initial initiative for last week's statement came from rugby. As the first step towards improving inclusion and diversity, it is to be welcomed.
There is regularly speculation about who will be the first All Black to "come out''. Perhaps, it is surprising this is yet to occur, despite gay or bisexual stars in other sports.
As long ago as 2009, Gareth Thomas, a one-time Lions captain and a Welsh rugby and rugby league representative, did so. He was a television analyst at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups and is a prominent British media figure.
It took until 2013 for Jason Collins to clear a high hurdle in United States sports and society. The veteran centre in the National Basketball Association was the first current participant from the four dominant US men's sporting leagues to reveal publicly his homosexuality.
And last year, 1976 Olympic decathlon gold medalist Bruce Jenner revealed her identity as a transgender woman and announced her first-name change to Caitlyn.
Times are changing as are attitudes at sport's senior level. The real test will come if this translates to the grassroots, the fields, courts and turfs. At schools, on country grounds and in the lower grades, will participants of different sexual orientations, genders, races and abilities feel valued and welcome?
As Hockey New Zealand's acting chief executive, Ian Francis, said, it was clear sports needed to adapt to change or risk being left behind. "Our society has changed so much over the years and will only continue to evolve,'' he said.
"Sports need to remain relevant to their entire communities and reflect that in everything they do, right through to the top level. As well as being the right thing to do, a focus on diversity and inclusion presents enormous opportunity to increase participation.''
