WRU was an 'unforgiving, even vindictive' environment - Key questions answered

The Welsh Rugby Union has been left reeling by a damning independent review into behaviour at all levels within the organisation.

The review, which was launched in February this year, followed a BBC programme that reported allegations of racism, sexism, misogyny and homophobia connected to the governing body.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the issues.

What was the starting point?

A BBC programme aired in January 2023 probed the culture at the WRU and saw a number of its former employees make accusations about their time at the organisation. Charlotte Wathan, general manager of women’s rugby until her resignation in early 2022, claimed offensive comments by a colleague left her in tears and feeling sick, while another unnamed contributor says she was left contemplating suicide by her experiences of bullying and sexism at work. Incidents of racism and homophobia were also alleged.

What was the immediate fall-out?

WRU chief executive Steve Phillips resigned from his post later that month, with former Wales rugby international and Olympic hurdler Nigel Walker taking over the role on an interim basis. The WRU also announced an independent review would be commissioned, and Walker said: “You come up for a compelling argument for change because where we are now is not sustainable. If we are not prepared to change, the future of Welsh rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union is in danger. I can’t put it any more bluntly than that.”

What form did the review panel take and what was its remit?

The panel was chaired by former Court of Appeal judge Dame Anne Rafferty, with ex-England rugby international Maggie Alphonsi and Quentin Smith also appointed. David Lawson acted as counsel to the inquiry. Under its terms of reference, the panel’s role was to investigate allegations of sexism, misogyny, homophobia and racism. The panel’s scope included covering culture of the WRU, actions and behaviour at all levels within the WRU, the extent to which employees felt able to voice concerns or challenge inappropriate and discriminatory language and behaviour, effectiveness of the WRU’s whistleblowing policy procedures and the WRU’s actions in response to individual complaints set out in the BBC Wales programme.

What did the panel discover?

A 134-page report was published on November 14. The report found that the WRU was an “unforgiving, even vindictive” environment to work in for some of its employees, and witnesses interviewed reported feelings of powerlessness and fear, with the review identifying a workplace that “contained elements of bullying and discrimination” and was experienced as “toxic” by some employees. Examples of discrimination reported included the sharing of gossip that a female staff member had “slept her way” into her job, use of the phrase “hello sugar t***” and the use of slurs about women in same-sex relationships.

What has been recommended and what is the WRU’s response?

The panel made 36 recommendations, including a need for more transparency. The WRU was urged to align clearly and publicly with inclusion and diversity, and the report also called for further investment in the women’s and girls’ game, with spending in line with other unions after the review found it was not “properly supported and developed”. The WRU had already committed to ensuring that all of the recommendations are actioned, and WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood said: “We have let people down. We have to do better and we will.”

Has the WRU already started making changes?

Yes. In June, Collier-Keywood became the WRU’s first independently-appointed chair – previous chairs were elected by the WRU’s member clubs – and the WRU’s first female chief executive Abi Tierney will start work in January. A reformed WRU board will include a combination of appointed and elected directors. Six of the appointed directors have been announced, with four of them being women. Collier-Keywood says that progress has been made on improving employment practices. The WRU’s women’s high-performance programme, meanwhile, has received significant investment, with 32 full-time playing contracts now in place. A wider strategy for women’s and girls’ rugby will be delivered in 2024.