Clodagh Stenson South Investigations
Getty ImagesSexual harassment, racism and bullying did happen at Oxford Brookes University Boat Club, an independent investigation has confirmed.
The report was commissioned by the university after a picture of a so-called “toughness sheet”, allegedly criticising members of the top rowing team, circulated online in November 2024.
A summary of the findings by law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper was submitted to the university in April and has been shared with the by a contributor to the investigation.
Oxford Brookes University said it had made “leadership and coaching changes” and “new, progressive structures” were now in place at the club.
Heather, not her real name, rowed at Oxford Brookes University Boat Club (OBUBC) and was interviewed as part of the investigation.
She said that while at the club she witnessed sexual harassment towards women and that public weight shaming of athletes was “prolific”.
Heather said she saw the men’s squad asked to jump up and down topless, and “if any of their body parts jiggled, they needed to lose it”.
“I felt it was important to be part of the investigation because I felt that a lot of the athletes might not feel able to speak out about their experiences,” Heather said.
She said she also feels that Oxford Brookes has “glossed over” issues around sexism, racism and bullying and that it has a duty to be transparent about “the culture of the club and what they’re doing to improve that.”
What did the investigation find?
The independent investigation was conducted by the law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper, that interviewed 41 current and past athletes from OBUBC.
A summary of the report was shared with the by someone who contributed to the investigation and then requested its findings through a Freedom of Information request.
Any individuals’ names within the report had been redacted.
The investigation found:
- “Multiple and varied instances” of sex discrimination and sexual harassment
- Repeated breaches of British Rowing’s Code of Conduct, including rules prohibiting coaches from having sexual relationships with athletes
- Evidence of bullying, “personalised profanity”, and three incidents of “racial slurs”
- That there had been data protection breaches and it suggested that aspects of the club’s finances should be audited
- Breaches of British Rowing’s Weighing Guidance
- That there had been “repeated interference” during the investigation
The report summary recommended that disciplinary action be taken against some OBUBC members, a Welfare Officer be appointed, and that there should be more Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training.
A spokesperson for Oxford Brookes University said: “When concerns were initially raised about coaching at the Oxford Brookes University Boat Club, we took swift action by launching the independent investigation that led to the production of this report.
“Respect, inclusion and the dignity of everyone who studies and works here are central to our culture.
“We have worked with British Rowing to address the issues raised in the report, with leadership and coaching changes and new, progressive structures now in place at the club.”
The investigation began after the picture of a so-called “toughness sheet” circulated online.
It included comments next to rowers’ names including “Put the pies down”, “Get a haircut” and “Watching you row is like watching paint dry”.
After the sheet was leaked, an unverified WhatsApp message from a senior member of the boat club referencing the “toughness sheet” was seen by the .
It asked someone to “own up” for posting a photo of it online, otherwise they would be “tracked down”.
In December 2024, Oxford Brookes University announced that an investigation would look at behaviour and culture at the club.
Heather said she feels that methods like the “toughness sheet” are not effective in training athletes, and that “success and wellbeing should come hand in hand”.
Oxford Brookes is home to one of the UK’s top rowing programmes, with eight members of its boat club selected to represent Team GB at the Paris Olympics.
British Rowing said that they “worked collaboratively with and supported Oxford Brookes University as it implemented the recommendations identified through its independent investigation into coaching practices at Oxford Brookes University Boat Club.”