UK Sport investigating racism claims against British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association - report
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Published 30/09/2020 at 17:28 GMT
The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association is reportedly under investigation over claims of racism, harassment and bullying, involving former Olympian Colin Rattigan. It has been reported that Rattigan alleges he was subject to an “extended period” of bullying and harassment.
The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association is reportedly under investigation
Image credit: Getty Images
UK Sport is reportedly investigating the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association over claims of racism, harassment and bullying.
The Guardian and PA report that the claims involve Colin Rattigan, who competed at the 1988 and 1992 Winter Games for Great Britain and is the only black member on the British Bobsleigh board.
UK Sport announced on Wednesday that it had opened an independent investigation.
It is reported that Rattigan alleges he was subject to an “extended period” of bullying and harassment, and claims recordings of board meetings were made in an attempt to entrap him. He has also reportedly raised this as a breach of privacy issue with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Information Commissioner’s Office.
The BBSA, which lost £5m of bobsleigh funding after a poor performance at the 2018 Winter Olympics, told BBC Sport it "welcomes" the investigation.
The Guardian reported in 2017 that then head coach Lee Johnston had been formally disciplined after telling a member of the British squad that “black drivers do not make good bobsleigh drivers”.
Jason Gardener, president of UK Athletics and a former Olympic gold medallist, said the BBSA ignored an approach from him to address allegations of racism ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics.
He told The Diversity Dividend: “The board was very much an elderly white board. On the competing side there was a lot of diversity – a lot of black guys and girls competing – [but] there were issues about the leadership, decision-making and racism.
“Here I was presenting a solution to potentially resolve the sport’s challenges going into the Winter Olympic Games. The chairman said he was really thankful for me coming to visit him and he would get back to me. I never heard back from him.”
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