Plaid Cymru has criticised Deputy Sport Minister Dawn Bowden for allegedly ignoring concerns expressed about sexism and misogyny at the WRU when they were first raised with her last year. The Welsh Government has defended Ms Bowden, pointing out that it is not responsible for regulating the WRU.
A BBC Wales documentary recently highlighted serious concerns about the “toxic” culture within the WRU. Subsequently the body’s chief executive Steve Phillips resigned and an external investigation into the concerns is underway.
Now correspondence released to Plaid Cymru under Freedom of Information laws shows that Ms Bowden was written to by Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi in May 2022, asking her to personally intervene in the matter. In an email sent Ms Bowden last year, Ms Antoniazzi, herself a former Welsh international rugby player, voiced concerns around “a deep-seated culture of sexism within the WRU”, stating that she had spoken to three people within the Union who shared her concerns.
