Calacus Monthly Hit & Miss – Innes FitzGerald & WRU
Every month we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the last few weeks.
HIT - INNES FITZGERALD
Sustainability is a popular buzzword in sport.
Organising Committees and governing bodies want to encourage carbon neutral events and procedures to help fight climate change.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), for instance, has a detailed strategy and in a recent report HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, chair of the IOC’s Sustainability and Legacy Commission said: “We can confidently state that sustainability is now firmly embedded as an executive priority within the IOC, and this ethos flows into our corporate ways of working, our focus on ensuring sustainable Olympic Games, and how we engage with the wider Olympic Movement.”
Likewise, the Premier League signed up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, which brings together sports organisations from all over the world to achieve climate change goals.
“As part of this commitment, the Premier League as an organisation aims to reduce 50 per cent of its own emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, in line with the 1.5ºC global warming limit of the 2015 Paris Agreement.”
The nature of elite competition is that long-distance travel is often a necessity, despite the impact it has on the environment.
Long-distance runner Innes FitzGerald has burst onto the scene over the past year or so and is considered a hot prospect for British athletics.
FitzGerald, 16, broke the UK under-17 record for 3000m and dominated the British Athletics Cross Challenge in Liverpool in November, beating much older athletes.
But she has shocked the sporting world after she decided to take a stand and reduce her carbon footprint – event if it comes at the expense of a chance to win a medal.
Attending the European Cross Country Championships in Turin late last year, it emerged that FitzGerald had travelled by train from her Exeter home because of a reluctance to fly.
The leading British junior female endurance athlete, FitzGerald wrote to UK Athletics and asked not to be considered for the team set to compete at the World Cross Country Championships in Australia.
She said: “To have the opportunity to compete for Great Britain in Australia is a privilege. When I started running, the prospect of me competing in the World Cross Country Championships would have seemed merely a dream. However, the reality of the travel fills me with deep concern.
“I was just nine when the COP21 Paris Climate agreement was signed. Now, eight years on, and global emissions have been steadily increasing, sending us on a path to climate catastrophe. Sir David King, former government chief scientific advisor, has said, ‘What we do, I believe, in the next three to four years will determine the future of humanity.’ The science is clear. Turning this around is only possible through transformational change from collective and personal action.
“I would never be comfortable flying in the knowledge that people could be losing their livelihoods, homes and loved ones as a result. The least I can do is voice my solidarity with those suffering on the front line of climate breakdown.
“Coming to a decision has not been easy, however little compares to the grief I would feel taking the flight. Aviation is the most energy intensive activity we can do and explodes a person’s carbon footprint. I don’t want that on my conscience.”
She added that making a statement about her reasons for withdrawing was important: “I could have just said, ‘Look, I’m not going to go, and that’s it.’ But I felt that actually, if I was going to make the sacrifice and not go, then I might as well make a statement about it as well. Because it was not easy at all.”
Champions for Earth, which believes that there is nothing more critical than addressing and averting the climate and ecological crisis, was full of praise for FitzGerald: “The Exeter Harriers runner is a champion in more ways than one, winning impressively on the running track and in the world of environmental protection. Innes was crowned the 2022 Youth ‘Champion For Earth’ for her commitment to pursuing her sporting goals as sustainably as possible.
“As a young person with Olympic dreams growing up during a climate and ecological emergency, she is balancing the dream of one day becoming a champion of the world, with a determination to be a champion for earth.”
Critics have suggested that FitzGerald is misinformed, given the environmental impact of travelling by car and train and the rubber running tracks and trainers she continues to wear.
But how brave of a teenager with a time-limited career to take a stand and get us all talking about the environment and sport’s impact upon it.
She hopes that by taking a stand, she can encourage other athletes to come forward and add their support to the importance of climate change for society and help to create meaningful change.
Within sport, FitzGerald believes that there are “many people who are like-minded, but they feel like they have no power, and they’re in sport and that’s just the way things are.
“There’s been so many people in support, saying they’re so grateful that I’ve spoken out about it, and that it’s something that we need to talk about. Which I think is so positive and so true.”
MISS – WELSH RUGBY UNION
Unfortunately, sports governance is still dominated by pale, male and stale executives and while efforts are being made to increase diversity, there is so much work to be done.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is the latest governing body to be mired in controversy after accusations of sexism, racism and misogyny.
An inquiry was announced after two women complained of a "toxic" sexist culture at Welsh rugby's highest level.
The revelations came to light when the BBC aired a documentary which exposed the level of toxicity, with Women’s rugby general manager Charlotte Wathan detailing experiences when a male colleague said in the presence of others that he wanted to “rape” her.
Another anonymous contributor said she had contemplated suicide after her experiences of bullying and sexism at work.
The four Welsh regions – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – backed calls for the 58-year-old Phillips and the WRU board to resign, while the Welsh Rugby Players Association said they were “appalled by the allegations” and called for the “strongest possible action.”
The WRU’s initial response was somewhat combative and underlined the disconnect between executive leadership and the reality of horrific staff experiences.
They criticised the BBC for giving them the right to reply due to ongoing litigation and went into great detail addressing many of the issues raised in the documentary.
But the tone was defensive and seemed as focused on inconsistencies or inaccuracies in the reporting as in the clearly serious allegations being levelled at the organisation.
Principality Building Society, sponsors of Wales’ national stadium in Cardiff and supporter of the Welsh grassroots game, described the allegations as “extremely concerning.”
They stated: “We take great pride in supporting grassroots rugby within the diverse communities we serve, as we have for over 20 years, and want to work with partners who share our values. The allegations in the emerging BBC investigation are extremely concerning and we would expect the WRU to take the immediate and decisive action required to remove any discriminatory and bullying behaviours and to uphold the inclusive values that we should all live by."
Another partner, Admiral, said in a statement: "Our culture is of paramount importance to us, so naturally the cultures of the partners we work with are also important. While this is a matter for the WRU, given the serious nature of the allegations made, we have and will remain in discussion with them."
Needless to say, the Welsh government was deeply concerned and stated: “The Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport is engaging with the WRU on the immediate actions it must take to address the allegations set out in this investigation.
"The details in the testimonies provided are devastating. We recognise the courage it takes to come forward after experiencing any form of harassment, bullying or abuse.
"Women and girls have the right to be safe in all aspects of their lives. The Welsh Government is committed to tackling abuse in the workplace and challenging damaging behaviour and attitudes head on so all women and girls in Wales can live fear free."
WRU chairman Ieuan Evans, who met with the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport and Chief Whip, Dawn Bowden to discuss a new independent Taskforce to undertake an internal investigation into the culture and behaviour at the governing body, is also set to be questioned in the Senedd.
Chief Executive Steve Phillips initially vowed to investigate and review the culture that had led to such a worrying catalogue of incidents.
He said: “The WRU knows it has fallen short in presenting Welsh rugby to the world in the best light. We have fallen short of the high standards I expect.
“We have consulted with our staff and we will re-examine our structures and procedures to make sure our employees find a business that is caring and sensitive to their needs and welfare and creating a safe and secure environment for everyone that comes into contact with us.
“We will use the feedback we are currently experiencing to improve, we will listen and learn from what we are hearing and continue to work hard on ensuring Welsh rugby is a game for all with equality, diversity and inclusion at its heart.”
If the situation had not already become untenable, Phillips soon resigned, with Nigel Walker taking his place on an Acting basis.
“It is with a huge amount of regret that I have decided to hand in my resignation,” said Phillips in a statement.
“I have always had the best interests of Welsh rugby at the heart of my every action and thought, but have come to the conclusion that it is now time for someone else to lead the way.
“I am on record already saying how much I hugely regret the feelings and emotions expressed recently by former members of staff.”
To his credit, Walker was far more reasonable in his first interview following his appointment, accepting the problems rather than trying to deflect or play down the seriousness of the allegations.
He commented that the WRU…“Have fallen short of the high standards that are necessary. We apologise, and we recognise we’ve made many mistakes.
“We’re not now looking at how we can mitigate the furore that has come our way. What we’re looking to do is to improve and get back a semblance of credibility as we realise that it is now at an all-time low.
“We won’t be resting on our laurels, but we are committed to making sure that the female rugby players in this country have the experience that they deserved – and the equivalent to their male counterparts.”
In a separate interview, he added: “This has been a wake-up call. Perhaps it is a call that has been overdue. The first step to any recovery is admitting the problem … there is no doubt that Welsh rugby is facing an existential crisis.
“If we are not prepared to change, the future of Welsh rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union is in danger. I can’t put it any more bluntly than that.
“We’ve accepted we need change and we want to get to that change programme as quickly as possible.
“We must now listen intently to what people from outside our organisation are telling us,” the 59-year-old added. “We care and are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we work hard in this space with dedicated resource and investment. But we need to do better. We need to do much better and we will.”
The situation is further complicated by the perilous situation the professional clubs find themselves in.
Cardiff, Dragons, Scarlets and Ospreys all endorsed a letter calling for Phillips to go despite a financial framework not yet having been signed off.
Former Dragons boss Bernard Jackman wrote in his column in the Irish Independent: “Three of the four Welsh professional teams are rumoured to be only months away from going into administration unless this deal is signed, and I admire their conviction to put their own interests aside to ensure Welsh rugby has better equality, diversity and inclusivity standards.”
Clearly there is much for the WRU to address and it begs the question whether the organisation can implement the change it needs without significant external input to support its transformation.