WRU sexism allegations ‘moment’ to change sports culture – Tanni Grey-Thompson

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has said allegations of sexism and discrimination against the Welsh Rugby Union are an opportunity for all other sport organisations in the country to change their culture.

The Sport Wales chair was giving evidence alongside acting chief executive Brian Davies at a Senedd committee hearing on Wednesday, which has been looking at the explosive claims made in a BBC Cymru Wales television programme last month.

Lady Grey-Thompson, a Paralympic gold medallist and crossbench member of the House of Lords, told members of the culture and sports committee that “this is the moment” for Welsh sport to address issues elsewhere as well.

Strong message

She said: “If there’s one thing that comes out of this, it will send a really strong message out to the other Welsh governing bodies, and the other home nations and national governing bodies, that we all have to do something to look at the culture and the -isms that are around in sport.

“This is the moment in time for Welsh sports to say, ‘this is happening here as well’.

“It’s horrendous what’s happened. And it’s deeply upsetting,” she added.

“But now that this has happened in Wales, it sends out a really strong message to lots of governing bodies to really make sure that not just their policy and processes are in place, because that’s one thing.

“But you have a mechanism where people feel able and safe to report and then when they do, they’re handled in an appropriate way.”

Following the allegations being aired, the WRU asked Sport Wales to advise them on what next steps to take, which led to them instructing Sport Resolutions – a global independent, not-for-profit, dispute resolution service.

Sport Resolutions has since appointed former Court of Appeal judge, Dame Anne Rafferty, to chair an independent review panel looking into the culture and behaviour within the organisation.

The scope of the review has been set by Sports Resolution and Sports Wales in discussion with the Welsh government and the WRU.