Touch Features in 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours

The Federation of International Touch wishes to congratulate Mr Darrin Sykes of Touch New Zealand, who has been appointed to The Order of New Zealand in the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours.

The status of Member of the Order of New Zealand has been awarded to Darrin for services to Touch administration.

Darrin was a nationally ranked referee from 1991 to 1995. He refereed at the 1991 World Cup in Auckland and refereed the 35 Men World Cup final. He was a co opted member and later full member of the Touch NZ National Referees Panel and has been involved in drafting and redrafting curricula in the Referees levels program. In November 2004 he was appointed to the Touch NZ Referees Advisory Panel and he was appointed Chair of the Touch NZ Referees Advisory Panel in 2007 and reappointed again in 2008. In March 1999 he was appointed to the FIT Referee Panel for the 1999 World Cup in Sydney and has remained a member of the FIT Panel since that appointment. In February 2010 Darrin was appointed as Chair of the Federation of International Touch Playing Rules Review Committee leading a technical review of the FIT Playing Rules. In 2012 Darrin was appointed Chair of the the FIT Playing Rules Review Committee (2012) to undertake a review of the draft FIT Playing Rules 4th Edition rulebook.

Darrin was elected to the Touch NZ Board of Directors in 1991 and has served consecutive terms through to the present day which makes him the longest serving Touch NZ Director in Touch NZ's history. Darrin has served two terms as Chair of the Touch NZ Board of Directors from 1994 to 1996 and again from September 2003 to October 2005. Darrin was elected as Deputy Chair of the Touch NZ Board of Directors in December 2007. Darrin also chairs the Touch NZ Judicial, Legal and Constitution Board Committee and the Touch NZ Awards Committee. Darrin led the reform of Touch NZ Governance structures, processes and procedures in the 2003/04 year.

Darrin received a Touch NZ National Service Award in 1998 for services to Touch NZ at a national level in the areas of referees development and governance and a Touch NZ Distinguished Service Award in June 2008 for his outstanding service to touch.

Darrin is also a Trustee on the Wellington Regional Sports Trust (Sport Wellington) since April 2011 as well as a Government appointed Board Member of the Capital and Coast District Health Board since December 2010. Darrin has been recently appointed by the Government as a Board Member to the Sport NZ Board and his appointment commences from 1 August 2013 for a three year term.

Congratulations Darrin; this is indeed a very special and proud moment for you.