Stanley, speaking during the presentation of the NZOC's 2017 annual report at its General Assembly in Auckland today, drew attention to the ongoing issues in international sport with doping and the "strong" response from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in banning the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) from the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

He assured the NZOC membership that New Zealand's two IOC members - Barry Maister and Sarah Walker - have been passionate advocates for a clean playing field for the country's athletes.

Russia was ordered to compete neutrally at Pyeongchang 2018 following the IOC's Oswald and Schmid Commissions investigating widespread doping and sample tampering at their home Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014.

The neutral team was known as Olympic Athletes from Russia.

The ROC's suspension was lifted three days after the Closing Ceremony despite the World Anti-Doping Agency continuing to deem the Russian Anti-Doping Agency as non-compliant with their rules.

In other matters, Stanley said 2017 was a year of solid preparation ahead of Pyeongchang 2018 and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

He acknowledged the importance of partnerships with high-performance sport, national sporting organisations and the athletes themselves.

Stanley confirmed the organisation's achieved the budgeted 2017 surplus of NZD$1.15 million (£592,000/$799,000/€671,000) with assets of NZD$2.38 million (£1.2 million/$1.7 million/€1.4 million).

While meeting the non-Games year budget expectations, finances are said to continue to provide a challenge as Games costs and resource demands continue to grow.

The 2017-2020 NZOC strategy was launched and intends to direct revenue diversification and growth along with a strengthening of partnerships and collaboration in an attempt to ensure New Zealand remains a world leader in sport.

Stanley also acknowledged the needs of sport around resourcing and confirmed that the NZOC will continue to advocate in this area.

With two athlete focused panel discussions taking place around the General Assembly, Stanley urged members to engage more strongly with athletes and ensure they are placed at the heart of the sporting movement in New Zealand.

As part of the New Zealand's commitment to diversity and inclusion, a new inclusion policy was also finalised.

Furthermore, the NZOC claimed the successful 2017 bid for the 2018 to 2022 International Working Group on Women and Sport Secretariat and World Conference was an indication of its ongoing thought leadership in keeping gender balance as a priority. 

Today also saw Diana Puketapu elected unopposed for a second three-year term on the NZOC Board, after being recommended to the membership by the Board membership panel.

Among the highlights of her tenure that she pinpointed was the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Pyeongchang 2018 and Gold Coast 2018.

Additionally, she spoke about the NZOC winning the 2015 IOC Women and Sport World Trophy as well as New Zealand's ongoing representation in the international environment across the IOC and Commonwealth Games Federation.

Puketapu urged the membership to continue to challenge the status quo as the NZOC works with, and on behalf of, sport, athletes and its commercial and philanthropic partners.

As chair of the Audit Committee, Puketapu acknowledged the NZOC's integrity and transparency.

Puketapu will be the NZOC Board representative on the new Maori Advisory Committee.

Sir John Wells, meanwhile, stood down as the member's representative after seven years on the Board appointments panel.

Peter Thompson, chief executive of Barfoot and Thompson and sporting philanthropist, was appointed in his place.

The Board appointments panel comprises an independent, membership and board representative and is designed to support the maintenance of a balanced board.