The Rugby Football Union has banned a distinguished former council member from Twickenham for making racist comments during a Six Nations match last year. Alex Murphy has also been stripped of his “distinguished” status and had his privileges removed.
The incident took place in the RFU council box during England’s win against Wales in February 2022. A summary of the decision, seen by the Guardian, explains how Murphy was charged with saying to another volunteer “you realise they don’t let n****** in the Royal Box”. The summary does not name the “volunteer” but details how a similar remark was made near the bar and how their spouse was distressed by the comment.
Last month the RFU concluded an investigation into discrimination in rugby and found that racism exists at every level of the game in England. The report was commissioned after the former England centre Luther Burrell said last year that racism was rife within the sport.
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The RFU council is an influential decision‑making arm of the union, comprising mainly elected representatives of their constituent bodies who are strictly speaking volunteers. The council has sign-off on a number of key decisions, including the recent change to the legal tackle height. It is the body famously referred to as “57 old farts” by Will Carling when he was the England captain. Distinguished membership is generally for those who have previously served as members of the council for significant periods. Privileges include things such as free tickets for England internationals.
The panel noted that Murphy sought to resign from his distinguished membership but it is up to the council to remove privileges rather than a position from which to resign. It was not in the gift of the council to impose the stadium ban but the RFU took the additional measure, in accordance with sanctions “placed on individuals who have engaged in discriminatory behaviour at Twickenham”.
Murphy accepted the charge as well as evidence provided by witnesses and that the behaviour breached the council’s code of conduct. The panel noted a hint of an attempt to describe the incident as “banter” but that was in no way an attempt at justification.
The panel also noted the volunteer had subsequently challenged Murphy via WhatsApp, and he called the volunteer to apologise, though only after the challenge.
“We have considered whether this matter could be properly dealt with by a suspension of privileges,” reads the panel’s judgment. “We do not feel in the circumstances that it could. A simple removal of privileges for a period would not be an appropriate sanction as it does not reflect the gravity of the matter. Additionally, such a sanction which simply allowed somebody to continue as a Distinguished member, but without privileges, would not send an appropriate message as to how unacceptable such behaviour is from someone in such a position.
“We agree with the RFU that the language was archaic and incredibly offensive and there can be no excuse for not knowing it was so offensive and for continuing to use it. The language goes against the core principles of the game and the changes that the RFU and the game of rugby worldwide has been pursuing for some time.
“We agree with the submission made to us that the only appropriate sanction is to recommend to the body that gifts individuals the Distinguished Membership, the RFU Council, that Mr Murphy be removed as a distinguished member and consequent on his removal as a distinguished member we recommend to council that all privileges are removed indefinitely.”
