Wales rugby chief executive Phillips set to leave role

Welsh Rugby Union main enforcement Steve Phillips is acceptable to permission his role.

Phillips, 58, had faced unit implicit the governing body's handling of the issues raised successful the programme.

All 4 regions backed calls by a Cardiff manager for Phillips and the committee to leave, portion the Welsh Rugby Players Association said they were "appalled by the allegations".

Phillips had initially vowed to proceed successful his role, but it is understood helium has heeded the increasing calls for him to basal down.

Two women complained of a "toxic culture", portion different erstwhile worker heard a racist word utilized successful a enactment meeting.

Former caput of Wales women's rugby Charlotte Wathan said she considered suicide and claimed a antheral workfellow joked successful beforehand of others successful an bureau situation that helium wanted to "rape" her.

The WRU says that peculiar accusation was independently investigated and remains unsubstantiated and it cannot remark further owed to a ineligible settlement.

Amanda Blanc, present main enforcement of Aviva security company, told the WRU it had a "deep rooted" civilization and behavioural problems and that a union-commissioned reappraisal into the women's crippled was "beyond disappointing" and verged connected "insulting to women".

In her WRU leaving speech, Ms Blanc, connected the 2021 Forbes astir influential women successful the satellite list, said she was questioned whether she had "sufficient concern experience" to beryllium the chairwoman of the WRU's nonrecreational board.

Ms Blanc, a UK Government women successful concern champion and Sunday Times Businessperson of the Year, discontinue aft 2 years arsenic Wales' Professional Rugby Board (PRB) chairwoman successful November 2021 due to the fact that she felt she was "not being listened to" and the WRU "needed modernisation".

In her leaving speech, Ms Blanc recalled a "truly violative discussion" astir reducing the sanctions for an elected WRU subordinate aft helium had made misogynistic comments successful public, including that "men are the maestro race" and women should "stick to the ironing".

The allegations had led to calls for Phillips to measurement down from figures wrong authorities and rugby, portion WRU sponsors expressed concerns implicit the revelations.

Phillips had apologised but had said helium was inactive the champion idiosyncratic to pb the WRU and had not considered his position. Chairman Evans had besides initially backed him to proceed successful the role.

Cardiff manager and businesswoman Hayley Parsons then called for Phillips and the remainder of the WRU committee to permission their posts.

Her damning email to Evans was supported by each 4 Welsh regions and prompted the WRU seat to accidental the organisation is "not deaf to the observations and criticisms" it has received.

Evans said helium was setting up an outer task force to reappraisal the WRU's "culture, systems and structures" with Sport Wales advising connected the marque up and remit of the panel.

Evans is besides to beryllium questioned successful the Senedd implicit the accusations.

Phillips was appointed arsenic the imperishable main enforcement successful March 2021, aft taking implicit arsenic interim the twelvemonth before, pursuing the departure of Martyn Phillips.

Analysis - Wyre Davies, BBC Wales Investigates

After past weeks' revelations by BBC Wales astir allegations of sexist behaviour, misogyny and bullying astatine the Welsh Rugby Union a fig of bodies - including instrumentality forums, rugby clubs and large sponsors - expressed their choler and disappointment.

It was a concern that immoderate compared to the racism situation successful Yorkshire Cricket and allegations of maltreatment astatine British Gymnastics.

In an archetypal response, the WRU's Chief Executive Steve Phillips appeared to suggest galore of the allegations referred to events good successful the past, that reforms were already nether mode and helium was inactive the antheral to pb Welsh rugby.

But erstwhile the 4 Welsh nonrecreational rugby sides besides backed calls for wide alteration - including the resignation of the WRU Board - the WRU absorption recovered themselves isolated.

It's present understood that Steve Phillips has agreed to resign arsenic CEO. Alongside the mounting up of a taskforce to probe allegations of misogyny, sexism, racism and homophobia - it mightiness placate immoderate critics but, connected the eve of the Six Nations, Welsh rugby is inactive successful crisis.

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