Swim Ireland review found no welfare issues associated with Jon Rudd

In an episode of the BBC's Panorama, former Swim Ireland national performance director Jon Rudd has been accused of bullying and weight shaming swimmers during his time as head coach with Plymouth Leander Swimming Club.

Jon Rudd was Swim Ireland national performance director for eight years, overseeing a successful period which saw Daniel Wiffen and Mona McSharry win medals at the Paris Olympics. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Swim Ireland’s longtime national performance director Jon Rudd has been accused of bullying and weight shaming multiple swimmers during his time in a previous role in England.

Earlier this month, Rudd stepped down from his role with Swim Ireland after eight years to take up a position in Saudi Arabia. Before joining Swim Ireland, he spent 28 years as head coach at Plymouth Leander Swimming Club in England, guiding the careers of many internationals. In a BBC Panorama show that aired on Monday night, 12 ex-swimmers at the club said they experienced bullying, a toxic training environment and controlling food culture while Rudd was head coach there.

Ruta Meilutyte, a Lithuanian who won 100m breaststroke gold at the London 2012 Olympics, said Rudd’s focus on weight and diet contributed to her struggle with an eating disorder and depression. “Jon said my ass is fat in one competition when I was 16. I broke a world record that day, I think that was because I was angry.” 

Meilutyte said that the first time she told Rudd she was vomiting after meals, he laughed and said: “Well, at least you get the calories out.” She added: “He saw that I wasn’t very keen on what he said, so he sort of got all serious and he realised how it was affecting me. We did seek help after that.” 

Panorama spoke to eight swimmers trained by Rudd who described pressures over diet or weight. One of those was Phoebe Lenderyou, who had an eating disorder before joining the club which she said worsened in her time there. She said Rudd had pulled her aside at a competition in 2013 and told her she had gained weight, pointing to different parts of her body and saying, “you need to sort it out.” 

Another swimmer, Cassie Patten, claimed Rudd was a “bully”, saying: “Jon’s main go-to was to berate, to make people feel scared of him, and that’s how he got that respect.” She said Rudd pressured her to train through injuries which she believes contributed to her early retirement.

In 2012, Swim England commissioned a confidential independent investigation in which 17 witnesses gave evidence about Rudd’s behaviour. According to Panorama, it found that under Rudd’s leadership, “swimmers were, as Swim England described it, publicly fat shamed, verbally abused, made to train while injured, inappropriately disciplined, and that there was a bullying culture. It recommended he be suspended for four months. He never was.” 

Andy Salmon, the current CEO of Swim England, said he was “deeply, deeply, sorry” to those harmed by the governing body's failings: “Clearly the organisation failed to act.” 

Swim Ireland said that in September 2023, Swim England advised it of an independent review of the 2012 report: “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 stated it “never received the independent review or the original report” from Swim England and heard “nothing further from them” on the matter since. It said it conducted its own internal assessment, led by its Head of Safeguarding, adding that Rudd had fully cooperated with the process. It said there was “no suggestion or indication of welfare issues such as those mentioned in the report”.

“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.” 

Sport Ireland said it “only became aware of the allegations” when the story was published on the BBC website on Monday and was unaware of the Swim England investigation in 2012. “We have consulted with Swim Ireland, and they informed us that no formal complaints have been made to them.” Panorama made “numerous attempts” to contact Rudd about the investigation, but he did not respond.

Rudd oversaw Ireland’s most successful period in swimming during his eight-year term, with three medals won at the Paris Olympics last year by Daniel Wiffen and Mona McSharry – who are both based abroad.

When announcing news of his departure from Swim Ireland a fortnight ago, Rudd 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.”