Graham Child has been appointed to the Board of the New Zealand Olympic Committee ©Aktive

Former international hockey player Graham Child has been appointed to the Board of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC).

He was selected by the NZOC Board Appointments Panel and takes up the position immediately.

Child is a founding trustee and the Board chairman of Aktive, a charitable trust with the vision to make Auckland the world's most active city.

He was previously the chairman of Hockey NZ and was a Board member for the 2017 World Masters Games, which Auckland hosted.

In addition, Child, who is replacing Trevor Taylor, is also an experienced business leader and qualified accountant.

"Growing up in rural Northland my weekends were spent at either cricket, rugby or hockey, and this has given me a good appreciation of the positive impact sport has on society," Child said.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee Board has eight members ©Getty Images
The New Zealand Olympic Committee Board has eight members ©Getty Images

"I am looking forward to this opportunity and adding value to the NZOC governance."

NZOC's Board is headed by President Mike Stanley and has six other members.

These include BMX cyclist Sarah Walker, who is a member of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission, and heptathlete Sarah Cowley-Ross, the NZOC Athletes' Commission representative.

Liz Dawson, Tony Hall, Diana Puketapu and Annette Purvis are the remaining members.