Swim Ireland conducted an internal investigation into national performance director Jon Rudd after being made aware in 2023 of bullying allegations relating to his time with the Plymouth Leander Swimming Club in England.
Swim Ireland had been advised by Swim England that there was no need to act against Rudd, who is the subject of a BBC Panorama programme, The Dark Side of Swimming, due to air on Monday night. Despite this, Swim Ireland carried out their own investigation and found no welfare issues with Irish athletes.
In the programme, 12 swimmers allege that they experienced “bullying, a toxic training environment and controlling food culture” with Rudd as their coach in Plymouth.
According to the BBC, a lengthy investigation and report by Swim England in 2012 showed evidence that swimmers in Rudd’s control at the club, where he worked for 28 years, had suffered harm. The report recommended that he be suspended for four months but no action was taken and none of the complainants were told about the outcome.
Rudd became Swim Ireland’s director of performance in 2017 after moving from the Plymouth Leander club. He resigned earlier this month and is due to take up a role in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, Swim Ireland said they contacted Swim England in 2023 for further details of the 2012 report but were informed it was for information and record purposes only.
“In September 2023, Swim England advised Swim Ireland of an independent review of a 2012 report concerning Plymouth Leander Swimming Club where Jon Rudd was head coach,” Swim Ireland said in a statement on Monday.
“Upon Swim Ireland requesting further details, Swim England issued the following correspondence: ‘that specific case was more for information and records only, rather than any need for specific action on your [Swim Ireland’s] end’. And further; ‘case files don’t get shared unless there is specific/threat which justifies it.’ Swim Ireland never received the independent review or the original report from Swim England and have heard nothing further from them on the matter.”
The statement continued: “Despite Swim England indicating that no action was required by Swim Ireland, Swim Ireland conducted its own internal assessment led by our head of safeguarding. Jon fully cooperated with this process. There has been no suggestion or indication of welfare issues such as those mentioned in the report, during Jon’s tenure with Swim Ireland.
“Furthermore, towards the end of 2022, a thorough independent Sport Ireland Culture Review was completed with our Performance Department that involved staff, coaches and included meetings with athletes. This Culture Review raised no concerns.”
In the BBC programme world record-breaking Lithuanian swimmer Ruta Meilutyte, who won a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012, said she was left “broken” by the harsh regime run by Rudd.
Others who made allegations to the BBC about Rudd included Olympic bronze medalist Cassie Patten, who said the coach had made her train with an injured shoulder and that it eventually ended her career in 2011. Commonwealth youth gold medalist, Phoebe Lenderyou alleged Rudd’s regime aggravated her eating disorder.
Andy Salmon, who has been CEO of Swim England since the beginning of last year, apologised to the BBC for any suffering that may have arisen from not enforcing the suspension.
“Clearly the organisation failed to act on the independent recommendations made at the time,” Salmon told the BBC.
Rudd stepped down from his post as national performance director for Irish swimming on May 6th following a successful Olympic Games last year, where Irish swimmers won three medals.
In a statement published on the Swim Ireland website two weeks ago, he said: “I have very much enjoyed my time in Ireland and it quickly became home, providing me with an opportunity to work with a wonderful group of staff, athletes and coaches throughout this time. I will certainly miss the people and the role, but it is time for something fresh and the role in Saudi Arabia very much presents this.”
Rudd is due to become the swimming high performance director for the Saudi Arabia Olympic and Paralympic Committee in June. He will work in close partnership with the Saudi Swimming Federation.
Attempts to contact Rudd were unsuccessful.
