Rugby players urged to share negative experiences

Tell Us, has been created in recognition of recent concerns raised by players in the community game relating to discrimination in their local playing environments.

The service will sit alongside existing support channels covered by Scottish Rugby’s regional teams, respective club and school’s own management structures and sport’s existing disciplinary process underwritten by its Code of Conduct.

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The dedicated and confidential inbox will be monitored on a daily basis, with submissions delegated to experienced representatives of Scottish Rugby’s Rugby Development dept, disciplinary and safeguarding teams, depending on the level of support and action required.

Tell Us will allow clubs and people connected to the game to have a voice with the knowledge that they will be supported, their concerns will be handled sensitively, investigated when appropriate and addressed for the benefit of all involved and the wider game.

Tell Us will also support the welcome and positive growth of clubs offering women and girls’ opportunities in the last three seasons which has risen from eight playing centres to 90.

Gavin Scott, Director of Rugby Development said: “Scottish Rugby and in particular, the Rugby Development department, is committed to developing a culture where it is safe and acceptable for everyone involved in our sport to raise concerns about any unacceptable practice, behaviour or misconduct.

“We’ve created Tell Us as a means of opening up an additional accessible channel of communication between our participants and Scottish Rugby, with the hope that we can act quickly and provide appropriate support where required to anyone who has been affected by examples of sexism, misogyny, homophobia or racism.

“Recent reports have highlighted that we still have some distance to go both as a society and a sport to ensure equality is respected when men’s and women’s teams co-exist. The more we can understand the issues being raised and address them, or support clubs to affect change then hopefully the faster we can achieve that objective.

“Tell Us is a practical way we can listen and learn, from particularly women and young female players and we hope it proves to be a useful resource.”

Scottish Rugby Vice President, Keith Wallace, who chairs the newly formed Club Rugby Board which oversees the community game in Scotland said: “Rugby plays a positive part in many people’s lives and we know the sport brings huge amount of enjoyment, alongside physical and mental well-being benefits.

“It is important we continue to make rugby environments as inclusive as we can and free from discrimination. In order to do this we need individuals to understand how their concerns can be heard, firstly through reminding them of existing processes, and secondly by adding the Tell Us channel to use when that does not work or suit. We can then act accordingly.

“I fully endorse the creation of the Tell Us resource as an additional measure and hope we can both support those who have been affected by outdated attitudes and use it to move our sport forward for everyone.”

Gemma Fay, Head of Women & Girls’ Strategy said: “If we want women and girls to come to our sport, be inspired and have ambitions to progress to their highest level we need to ensure they are in supportive, positive environments from the beginning.

“Scottish Rugby has made a clear strategic and financial commitment to growing and developing the women and girl’s game and we will only achieve that if everyone is focussed on delivering experiences which are free from sexist or misogynist attitudes.

“I believe Tell Us shows that our sport is taking steps towards addressing behaviours and attitudes which need to change, providing an accessible and practical way for concerns to be raised and ultimately dealt with to move rugby forward.”

Details of Tell Us is available on the Scottish Rugby website via Scottishruby.org promoting the Tellus@sru.org.uk in-box account.