Latest news with #JonRudd
Irish Independent
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Former Swim Ireland national performance director accused of ‘bullying' and ‘weight-shaming' during previous role
BBC 'Panorama' show features allegations from several swimmers who claim Rudd pressured them over their diets and weightSwim Ireland said there is no suggestion that Rudd acted inappropriately during his eight-year spell with the organisation Today at 15:09 Swim Ireland has said there has been 'no suggestion or indication of welfare issues' during Jon Rudd's eight-year term as national performance director in the wake of a BBC documentary in which multiple swimmers accused Rudd of bullying and weight-shaming during his previous role in England. Rudd, a native of Hull, joined Swim Ireland in 2017 and had previously spent 28 years as head coach at Plymouth Leander Swimming Club. The allegations outlined in the BBC Panorama show, which airs tonight, date from that time.
Irish Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Swim Ireland investigation found no welfare issues linked to national performance director Jon Rudd
Swim Ireland conducted an internal investigation into national performance director Jon Rudd after being made aware in 2023 of bullying allegations relating to his time with the Plymouth Leander Swimming Club in England . Swim Ireland had been advised by Swim England that there was no need to act against Rudd, who is the subject of a BBC Panorama programme, The Dark Side of Swimming, due to air on Monday night. Despite this, Swim Ireland carried out their own investigation and found no welfare issues with Irish athletes. In the programme, 12 swimmers allege that they experienced 'bullying, a toxic training environment and controlling food culture' with Rudd as their coach in Plymouth. According to the BBC, a lengthy investigation and report by Swim England in 2012 showed evidence that swimmers in Rudd's control at the club, where he worked for 28 years, had suffered harm. The report recommended that he be suspended for four months but no action was taken and none of the complainants were told about the outcome. READ MORE Rudd became Swim Ireland's director of performance in 2017 after moving from the Plymouth Leander club. He resigned earlier this month and is due to take up a role in Saudi Arabia. In a statement, Swim Ireland said they contacted Swim England in 2023 for further details of the 2012 report but were informed it was for information and record purposes only. 'In September 2023, Swim England advised Swim Ireland of an independent review of a 2012 report concerning Plymouth Leander Swimming Club where Jon Rudd was head coach,' Swim Ireland said in a statement on Monday. 'Upon Swim Ireland requesting further details, Swim England issued the following correspondence: 'that specific case was more for information and records only, rather than any need for specific action on your [Swim Ireland's] end'. And further; 'case files don't get shared unless there is specific/threat which justifies it.' Swim Ireland never received the independent review or the original report from Swim England and have heard nothing further from them on the matter.' The statement continued: 'Despite Swim England indicating that no action was required by Swim Ireland, Swim Ireland conducted its own internal assessment led by our head of safeguarding. Jon fully cooperated with this process. There has been no suggestion or indication of welfare issues such as those mentioned in the report, during Jon's tenure with Swim Ireland. 'Furthermore, towards the end of 2022, a thorough independent Sport Ireland Culture Review was completed with our Performance Department that involved staff, coaches and included meetings with athletes. This Culture Review raised no concerns.' In the BBC programme world record-breaking Lithuanian swimmer Ruta Meilutyte, who won a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012, said she was left 'broken' by the harsh regime run by Rudd. Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte criticised Jon Rudd in BBC documentary. Photograph: Getty Images Others who made allegations to the BBC about Rudd included Olympic bronze medalist Cassie Patten, who said the coach had made her train with an injured shoulder and that it eventually ended her career in 2011. Commonwealth youth gold medalist, Phoebe Lenderyou alleged Rudd's regime aggravated her eating disorder. Andy Salmon, who has been CEO of Swim England since the beginning of last year, apologised to the BBC for any suffering that may have arisen from not enforcing the suspension. 'Clearly the organisation failed to act on the independent recommendations made at the time,' Salmon told the BBC. Rudd stepped down from his post as national performance director for Irish swimming on May 6th following a successful Olympic Games last year, where Irish swimmers won three medals. In a statement published on the Swim Ireland website two weeks ago, he said: 'I have very much enjoyed my time in Ireland and it quickly became home, providing me with an opportunity to work with a wonderful group of staff, athletes and coaches throughout this time. I will certainly miss the people and the role, but it is time for something fresh and the role in Saudi Arabia very much presents this.' Rudd is due to become the swimming high performance director for the Saudi Arabia Olympic and Paralympic Committee in June. He will work in close partnership with the Saudi Swimming Federation. Attempts to contact Rudd were unsuccessful.
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Former Swim Ireland performance director Jon Rudd accused of 'toxic' practices
The recently departed Swim Ireland national performance director has been accused of "bullying, a toxic training environment and controlling food culture" by 12 swimmers he coached in a previous role. Jon Rudd last week left Swim Ireland after eight years to take up a new role as high performance director with Saudi Arabia. The Englishman oversaw Team Ireland's three-medal haul at the Paris Olympics, but he is now the subject of allegations dating back to his 28 years at Plymouth Leander swimming club. BBC's Panorama have discovered that a 2012 investigation that heard evidence from 17 witnesses determined that Rudd should be suspended, but Swim England took no action. In a statement to RTÉ Sport, Swim Ireland says there was "no suggestion or indication of welfare issues" during Rudd's eight-year tenure, but the governing body says it was made aware of the 2012 investigation in September of 2023. "Despite Swim England indicating that no action was required by Swim Ireland, Swim Ireland conducted its own internal assessment led by our head of safeguarding. Jon fully cooperated with this process," said Swim Ireland in its statement. "Furthermore, towards the end of 2022, a thorough independent Sport Ireland Culture Review was completed with our Performance Department that involved staff, coaches and included meetings with athletes. This Culture Review raised no concerns." Rudd was head coach at the prestigious club from 1989 until 2017, when he joined Swim Ireland. One of the club's most successful swimmers was Lithuanian Rūta Meilutyte, who joined the club in 2010 and two years later became the youngest person to win gold in the 100m breaststroke at the Olympics, aged 15. However she said Rudd made comments about her weight and praised her for getting "the calories out" when she told him she had been making herself sick after meals. She said he did seek help for her once he realised she was unhappy with his reaction. She left the club in 2017, telling Panorama that Rudd's methods "made me for a while and then it broke me".
Scottish Sun
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Olympic swimmer reveals top coach left her ‘broken' as slew of athletes come forward against ‘toxic' regime
SHOCK CLAIMS Olympic swimmer reveals top coach left her 'broken' as slew of athletes come forward against 'toxic' regime AN Olympic swimmer has revealed a top UK coach left her "broken" by a "toxic" regime. Rūta Meilutytė - who won gold at London 2012 - said Jon Rudd's focus on diet contributed to her developing an eating disorder and depression. Advertisement 3 Dr Jon Rudd was head coach at Plymouth Leander for 28 years Credit: Getty 3 Ruta Meilutyte, 15, winning the gold medal in the Women's 100m Breaststroke Final during the London 2012 Olympic games Credit: Getty 3 Meilutyte was hailed the club's biggest success Credit: Getty She is among 12 former swimmers to speak out against the alleged culture at Plymouth Leander swimming club, where Rudd coached from 1989 to 2017. Rudd had faced allegations of bullying and verbal abuse, however no action was taken by Swim England despite a confidential 2012 investigation saying he should be suspended, reports the BBC. The probe had heard evidence from 17 witnesses. The governing body's current chief Andy Salmon said he doesn't know why Rudd wasn't suspended, adding that he was "deeply, deeply sorry" to those impacted by the failings. Advertisement Rudd is set to become high performance director of Saudi Arabia's Olympic swimming team. The coach had established Plymouth Leander as a successful training ground for producing Olympic athletes. As well as coaching, he also had safeguarding responsibilities to ensure wellbeing. Meilutytė moved to the UK from Lithuania in 2010 to be coached by Rudd - and two years later, aged 15, became the youngest person to win the 100m breaststroke. Advertisement Speaking to the BBC's Panorama, the now 28-year-old claimed she confided in Rudd that she'd been making herself sick to lose weight, but he laughed and said: "Well, at least you get the calories out." She also alleged he told her her "ass was fat" immediately before a major competition when she was 16. Austrian biathlete Anna Gandler explains why she has had to stand down from the sport Despite being hailed as the club's biggest success, Meilutytė said the regime "made me for a while and then it broke me". She left the club in 2017 - the same year Rudd became Swim Ireland's director of performance swimming. Advertisement Other swimmers to make allegations against Rudd include Olympic bronze medallist Cassie Patten, who claims the coach made her train with an injured shoulder which eventually ended her career in 2011. And Commonwealth Youth gold medallist Phoebe Lenderyou claimed Rudd's regime aggravated her eating disorder. According to the investigation, Rudd's assistant coach, Lindsay Trimmings, should also have been suspended from Plymouth Leander. Salmon told the BBC: "Clearly the organisation failed to act on the independent recommendations made at the time. Advertisement "And I'm really sorry, on behalf of Swim England, for any suffering that that might have led to." Swim England is now reviewing 1,500 safeguarding cases carried out across England between 2002 and 2022. Plymouth Leander said it was "deeply concerned" by the allegations but assured the club is "fundamentally different" since Rudd was in charge. Plymouth College said its partnership with the club has been terminated. Advertisement The Sun has approached Swim England and Plymouth Leander for further comment. Do you know more? Email
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Olympic swimmer reveals top coach left her ‘broken' as slew of athletes come forward against ‘toxic' regime
AN Olympic swimmer has revealed a top UK coach left her "broken" by a "toxic" regime. Rūta Meilutytė - who won gold at London 2012 - said Jon Rudd's focus on diet contributed to her developing an eating disorder and depression. 3 3 3 She is among 12 former swimmers to speak out against the alleged culture at Plymouth Leander swimming club, where Rudd coached from 1989 to 2017. Rudd had faced allegations of bullying and verbal abuse, however no action was taken by Swim England despite a confidential 2012 investigation saying he should be suspended, reports the BBC. The probe had heard evidence from 17 witnesses. The governing body's current chief Andy Salmon said he doesn't know why Rudd wasn't suspended, adding that he was "deeply, deeply sorry" to those impacted by the failings. Rudd is set to become high performance director of Saudi Arabia 's Olympic swimming team. The coach had established Plymouth Leander as a successful training ground for producing Olympic athletes. As well as coaching, he also had safeguarding responsibilities to ensure wellbeing. Meilutytė moved to the UK from Lithuania in 2010 to be coached by Rudd - and two years later, aged 15, became the youngest person to win the 100m breaststroke. Speaking to the BBC's Panorama, the now 28-year-old claimed she confided in Rudd that she'd been making herself sick to lose weight, but he laughed and said: "Well, at least you get the calories out." She also alleged he told her her "ass was fat" immediately before a major competition when she was 16. Austrian biathlete Anna Gandler explains why she has had to stand down from the sport Despite being hailed as the club's biggest success, Meilutytė said the regime "made me for a while and then it broke me". She left the club in 2017 - the same year Rudd became Swim Ireland 's director of performance swimming. Other swimmers to make allegations against Rudd include Olympic bronze medallist Cassie Patten, who claims the coach made her train with an injured shoulder which eventually ended her career in 2011. And Commonwealth Youth gold medallist Phoebe Lenderyou claimed Rudd's regime aggravated her eating disorder. According to the investigation, Rudd's assistant coach, Lindsay Trimmings, should also have been suspended from Plymouth Leander. Salmon told the BBC: "Clearly the organisation failed to act on the independent recommendations made at the time. "And I'm really sorry, on behalf of Swim England, for any suffering that that might have led to." Swim England is now reviewing 1,500 safeguarding cases carried out across England between 2002 and 2022. Plymouth Leander said it was "deeply concerned" by the allegations but assured the club is "fundamentally different" since Rudd was in charge. Plymouth College said its partnership with the club has been terminated. The Sun has approached Swim England and Plymouth Leander for further comment.
