Major WRU sponsor voices concern over allegations

3 years ago 42
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The Millennium Stadium was renamed Principality Stadium in 2016 as part of a 10-year sponsorship dealImage source, Getty Images

Image caption,

The Millennium Stadium was renamed Principality Stadium in 2016 as part of a 10-year sponsorship deal

A major Welsh rugby sponsor has told the sport's bosses it expects to see "immediate and decisive" action over discrimination and bullying claims.

Principality Building Society, which supports grassroots rugby and sponsors the Wales' national stadium, called the allegations "extremely concerning".

The WRU said it was committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Admiral, another WRU partner, said in a statement: "Our culture is of paramount importance to us, so naturally the cultures of the partners we work with are also important. While this is a matter for the WRU, given the serious nature of the allegations made, we have and will remain in discussion with them."

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

She also said a male colleague said in front of others in an office that he wanted to "rape" her.

Another female former WRU employee, a mother-of-one, said she wrote a manual for her husband in case she killed herself.

Since those allegations were made, Amanda Blanc, now chief executive of insurance company Aviva, has come forward to say she 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".

Media caption,

'He joked he wanted to rape me', claims Charlotte Wathan

The allegations prompted Principality to speak out.

Vicky Wales, its chief customer officer, said: "Principality Building Society takes great pride in supporting grassroots rugby within the diverse communities we serve, as we have for over 20 years.

"Principality wants to work with partners who share our values.

"The allegations in the emerging BBC investigation are extremely concerning and we would expect the WRU to take the immediate and decisive action required to remove any discriminatory and bullying behaviours and to uphold the inclusive values that we should all live by."

Image source, Aviva

Image caption,

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

The Welsh Conservatives shadow sports minister Tom Giffard said he felt "incredibly disheartened" by the allegations.

He added: "I truly hope that all of these issues can be investigated fully to give those involved assurances that action will be taken and ensure that women are not discouraged from participating in the game or the governance of it."

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 BBC Wales Investigates.

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

The WRU said both cases in the programme were investigated and proper procedures were followed.

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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