Harassment and bullying did happen at top rowing club

2 hours ago 3

Clodagh StensonBBC South Investigations

Getty Images Seven women are holding a rowing boat above their heads. They're wading into a river as they carry the boat. They're wearing matching sports kits, which show they're rowers for Oxford Brookes rowing team. The sports jackets and trousers are red. The sky is blue and cloudy.

Sexual 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 BBC 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."

There are two wooden boat houses, painted black. On the front of them they have lettering saying Oxford Brookes University. Rowing boats are stacked in storage to the left of the boat houses. They are situated in a wooded, rural landscape and there are large puddles of water around.

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 BBC 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."