Welsh rugby: 'Ticking timebomb' equality warning to bosses

Rugby bosses were warned of an equality and diversity "ticking timebomb" before claims were raised about a sexist culture at the Welsh Rugby Union.

Welsh women's rugby former manager Charlotte Wathan said she considered suicide due to what she described as a "toxic culture" of sexism at the WRU.

Now it has emerged a top businesswoman who chaired Welsh rugby's professional board warned the WRU it had a problem.

The WRU says it is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Amanda Blanc, now chief executive of Aviva insurance company, told the WRU it had a "deep rooted" culture and behavioural problems - and that a union-commissioned review into the women's game was "beyond disappointing" and verged on "insulting to women".

In her WRU leaving speech, Ms Blanc, on the 2021 Forbes most influential women in the world list, said she was questioned whether she had "sufficient business experience" to be the chairwoman of the WRU's professional board.

• Ex-women's rugby boss says colleague made rape jibe

• Blanc left Welsh rugby after 'not being listened to'

Ms Blanc, a UK Government women in finance champion and Sunday Times Businessperson of the Year, quit after two years as Wales' Professional Rugby Board chairwoman in November 2021 because she felt she was "not being listened to" and the WRU "needed modernisation".

In her leaving speech, Ms Blanc recalled a "truly offensive discussion" about reducing the sanctions for an elected WRU member after he had made misogynistic comments in public, including that "men are the master race" and women should "stick to the ironing".

Amanda Blanc was named as one of the Financial Times' 25 most influential women of 2022

"To have to sit in a room and listen to some of you say that taking away too many free tickets from this man would be completely unfair, was beyond insulting," Ms Blanc said in her speech.

"I would say that some of you need to sit down, pause and reflect on what answer you would give to a Select Committee if this evidence was put in front of you? What would you say to the nation when an MP asks, 'does the WRU respect women?'"

Ms Blanc, who was an independent chairwoman of Wales' professional game board with the WRU and Wales' four regional sides, also described her own experience saying she had raised issues about behaviour.

• Watch BBC Wales Investigates: Welsh Rugby under the Spotlight on BBC iPlayer

The WRU has also resisted calls to publish its 2021 review of the the women's game in Wales but extracts of it have been seen by the BBC Wales Investigates TV programme.

In it, women players at the time described the culture then as draining and demoralising, while some senior staff said it was underfunded.

In the review, past players described Welsh rugby's culture as toxic and called for an end to "inequality" and "empty promises".

The Welsh team are ninth in the women's rugby world rankings

The women's review also warned of risks to the WRU's reputation and finances if it didn't address its perceived reluctance to fully commit to women's rugby.

Ms Blanc's comments emerge after Welsh women's rugby's former general manager said a male colleague said in front of others in an office that he wanted to "rape" her.

Charlotte Wathan and another female former WRU employee said they both considered suicide because of the "toxic culture" of sexism at the organisation.

The WRU said that both cases were investigated and proper procedures were followed.

One MP, also a former Wales player, warned the allegations against a major UK sporting organisation were "on a level" with the racism scandal that rocked Yorkshire Cricket Club.

Charlotte Wathan helped develop a strategy for the women's game in Wales

Tonia Antoniazzi has written to the Prince of Wales as patron of the WRU for a meeting to "create a better future for women and girls in rugby in Wales".

The WRU said how sad it was to hear how individuals in the BBC Wales Investigates programme felt and it would continue to work with staff to ensure they feel valued and listened to.

The WRU has previously spoken of its commitment to the women's game and last year gave Wales' women players professional contracts for the first time.

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