Sports commentator Ken Laban says a switch from funding sports participation programmes to funding elite athletes will leave Maori and Pacific people out in the cold.
The Government announced on Friday it would spend an extra $45 million over three years to keep New Zealand athletes winning on the world stage.
Its plans include reallocating some existing funding for the benefit of codes like cycling, rowing, sailing, triathlon and ocean kayaking.
Mr Laban says the numbers competing in triathlon are a fraction of those turning out each week for netball, rugby or touch football.
He told Waatea News the Government should re-evaluate its criteria for what constitutes high-performance sport.
