Judy Murray has revealed she was sexually assaulted by a education executive at an official dinner.
The tennis coach said she was left feeling “sick to my stomach” after the man first put his hand on her knee and then down her trousers.
The mother of tennis champions Andy and Jamie Murray said she was inspired to speak out about the incident for the first time after a sexist after-dinner speech at last week’s Scottish Football Writers’ Association gala dinner sparked a walkout.
Writing in the Sunday Post, Ms Murray said the incident took place eight years ago at an after-dinner panel for a “major education establishment” and involved “a very senior person from that organisation”.
She wrote: “Towards the end of the meal, it was clear he had had quite a bit to drink and he put his hand firstly on my knee.
“I didn’t know what to do so I removed his hand and leaned forward to pour myself some water and as I did he slipped his hand down the back of my trousers.
“At that point, I got up and went straight to the bathroom. I wanted to throw up. It rocked me so badly. I sat in the loos for ages and decided to do the speech – the show must go on and all that – but I didn’t go back into the room until I knew it was time for me to go on stage.
“As soon as I had done my bit, I walked back to the table, picked up my bag and left. I spoke to nobody. The incident left me feeling sick to my stomach for a long time.”
Ms Murray condemned the sexist and misogynist behaviour seen at the Scottish Football Writers’ Association awards, which saw several tables get up and leave.
Sports broadcaster Eilidh Barbour, who works as a presenter for both BBC Sport and Sky Sports, was one of those present at the annual event in Glasgow.
She later wrote on Twitter: “Never felt so unwelcome in the industry I work in than sitting at the Scottish Football Writers Awards.
“A huge reminder there is still so much to do in making our game an equal place.”
It is not clear what exactly was said during the speech, but Gabriella Bennett, the co-chair of Women in Journalism Scotland, said it was delivered by a “keynote speaker” and contained “sexist and racist jokes”.
Ms Bennett said she walked out about five minutes into the speech, at the same time as Ms Barbour’s table.
The Scottish Footballers Writers’ Association later apologised.
