[UPDATE: Andy Haden has relinquished his position as a World Cup Ambassador, World Cup Minister Murray McCully revealed shortly before 5pm today.Mr Haden had been scheduled to meet with the minister later in the day.Mr McCully said he accepted the resigna
[UPDATE: Andy Haden has relinquished his position as a World Cup Ambassador, World Cup Minister Murray McCully revealed shortly before 5pm today.
Mr Haden had been scheduled to meet with the minister later in the day.
Mr McCully said he accepted the resignation, tendered by email, "with sadness".
The minister added: "Mr Haden has made it clear that he will continue to be available to assist in any way with preparations for next year's ambitious calendar of events, in the same way in which he has so generously supported the interests of New Zealand and rugby in the past."
Mr McCully reportedly attempted to relieve Mr Haden of his responsibilities on Friday night, but the ex-All Black would not take his call.
In his email to Mr McCully, Mr Haden said he was resigning "to ensure that neither your leveraging initiatives or the game of rugby that I love are compromised by the current media backlash to the comments I have made on television recently."
"I feel that to stay in the role, given the current media beat-up, would mean having to remove myself from making public comments on the game or related issues.
"I have always believed in saying what I think and I will always be true to myself in that regard and it's a sad day for society when people such as I are unable to express what we believe without a media beat-up from those with sectional interests."
FRIDAY JULY 9, 4PM: Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully says he has seen part, but not all, of the comments made by Andy Haden on Sky Television on Wednesday night. (Seems like a good time to watch it all - Editor.)
"Naturally I am disappointed to again be in a situation where Mr Haden's comments have provoked public controversy," said the minister this afternoon.
"It is the role of 2011 Ambassadors to promote the outstanding programme of activities planned for next year, not to provide a major distraction from them.
"It is not possible to combine the roles of television rugby shock-jock and 2011 Ambassador. This is something I will discuss with Mr Haden quite soon."
Mr Haden told host Sky TV host Murray Deaker that women who target sportsmen "do so at their peril".
His comments were made in the context of supporting fellow ex-All Black Robin Brooke, accused of having sex with a comatose teenager.
Mr Haden said some women targeted rugby players and were okay "until the cheque bounced", implying that rape allegations were sometimes financially motivated.
They follow Mr Haden's controversial remarks about what he alleged was a cap on the number of Polynesian players - or "darkies" as he put it - who could be selected for Canterbury.
