{"id":24437,"date":"2023-01-26T20:03:41","date_gmt":"2023-01-26T20:03:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/2023\/01\/26\/welsh-rugby-union-cardiff-director-hayley-parsons-calls-for-wru-board-and-chief-executive-to-leave\/"},"modified":"2023-01-26T20:03:41","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T20:03:41","slug":"welsh-rugby-union-cardiff-director-hayley-parsons-calls-for-wru-board-and-chief-executive-to-leave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/?p=24437","title":{"rendered":"Welsh Rugby Union: Cardiff director Hayley Parsons calls for WRU board and chief executive to leave"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Hayley<\/span><\/span>
Hayley Parsons founded price comparison website Gocompare.com in 2006<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All four regions have backed calls by a Cardiff director for Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Steve Phillips and the board to leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

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BBC Wales understands the email from Hayley Parsons has been sent to WRU chair Ieuan Evans.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The message was also circulated to Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets, who have backed its content.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evans said the WRU is “not deaf” to the observations and criticisms” it has received.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said: “I thank Hayley for her constructive and heartfelt comments and I will not only write back in detail but intend to meet up in person just as I will with a number of different stakeholders from outside of the WRU. <\/span><\/p>\n

“As I made clear in statements yesterday, <\/span>I will now lead on the composition of a new externally sourced Taskforce<\/span><\/a> which will review our culture, systems and structures. <\/span><\/p>\n

“We need to respond to the public scrutiny we are currently experiencing, but this is also the right thing to do. We are listening.” <\/span><\/p>\n

The email follows allegations of sexism, racism and misogyny within the organisation, highlighted by a <\/span>BBC Wales Investigates<\/span><\/a> programme this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

Phillips has faced <\/span>mounting calls to resign<\/span><\/a> over the governing body’s handling of the complaints.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 58-year-old has apologised but <\/span>says he is still the best person to lead the WRU<\/span><\/a> and has not considered his position.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chairman Evans has backed him to continue in the role though confirmed an external task force will investigate the organisation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two women <\/span>have complained of a toxic culture<\/span><\/a>, while another former employee heard a racist term used in a work meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Former head of Wales women’s rugby Charlotte Wathan said she considered suicide and said a male colleague joked in front of others in an office that he wanted to “rape” her. <\/span><\/p>\n

The WRU says that accusation was independently investigated and remains unsubstantiated and that it could not comment further due to a legal settlement. <\/span><\/p>\n