Players on the Langford-based Canadian women鈥檚 sevens rugby team have expressed dissatisfaction over an independent third-party investigation that cleared former head coach John Tait of harassment and bullying allegations.
鈥淲e feel this process failed to protect us and did not acknowledge the abuse and harassment that we believe we suffered,鈥� said a statement, released on team captain Ghislaine Landry鈥檚 twitter account.
鈥淭he national team athletes have shown true courage in coming forward to shine a light on what they have experienced in an effort to bring about meaningful change to their sport.鈥�
The statement said 37 athletes, representing 55 percent of the current and former players who have been part of the centralized program in Langford, filed the complaint. It added other players shared the same or similar complaints but chose not to come forward for personal reasons.
鈥淭here is an associated culture of fear and silence in sport when athletes experience psychological abuse, bullying and harassment,鈥� said the statement.
鈥淎thletes should never have to experience heightened anxiety, depression, racism, eating disorders, low self-worth or mental illness as part of participating in sport at any level. We need change. Meaningful change begins with accountability at all levels.鈥�
Nineteen of the 21 players on the current national team signed the statement.
Tait has stepped down as head coach. Mick Byrne, a consultant to the national team since 2012, will guide the world No. 3-ranked Canadian team at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
鈥淚 was not surprised that the investigation, which I had requested to be initiated, concluded that the complaints were all unfounded and did not breach any of Rugby sa国际传媒 policies,鈥� Tait said in an emailed response to the sa国际传媒, this week.
鈥淩egardless, I no longer desire to continue as the national team head coach. This entire experience has been extremely difficult and stressful for my family and I.鈥�
Rugby sa国际传媒 said it hired Win Win HR Solutions Inc. to conduct the investigation.
鈥淭he investigator determined that the conduct referenced was not behaviour which fell within the policy鈥檚 definition of harassment or bullying,鈥� said Rugby sa国际传媒, in a statement.
Rugby sa国际传媒, however, told Canadian Press it will now conduct an independent assessment of the women鈥檚 sevens and other national-team programs to improve the training environment.
Tait guided the women鈥檚 national team to the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, to gold medals in the 2015 Toronto and 2019 Lima Pan Am Games, and to the bronze-medal game of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
鈥� With a file from Canadian Press
