Jillings resigns as Harlequins chairman over Bloodgate controversy

CHARLES JILLINGS has resigned as chairman of Harlequins in the wake of the fake blood controversy.

“As chairman I am ultimately responsible for all decisions,” Jillings said in a lengthy statement on the club’s website.

“I apologise unreservedly to all our stakeholders for inadvertently compounding the issues.”

Malcolm Wall, who has been conducting an internal review into the so-called Bloodgate episode, has replaced Jillings as interim chairman.

Jillings’ resignation is the latest twist in a sorry tale that this week saw Tom Williams provide a full disclosure of the events that led to him faking a blood injury in order to get specialist goal-kicker Nick Evans back onto the pitch in last April’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster.

Jillings has sought to clarify his actions and has strongly denied ever attempting to bribe Williams into keeping silent about his role in the affair. The utility back was offered a new four-year contract plus other benefits. Jillings states that while he did initially believe a limited appeal would be the best course of action for Williams to take, he ultimately changed his mind.

“With hindsight my judgement can be called into question by the proximity of my suggestion of limited disclosure by Tom Williams on the one hand, and a financial package proposal on the other,” said Jillings.

“My intention was that he (Williams) was compensated for the damage created by our failure to control (former director of rugby Dean Richards). Under no circumstances was the financial proposal a reward for silence.”

Jillings insisted he was not made aware of the cover-up orchestrated by Richards until after the initial hearing, when Williams decided to appeal against his 12-month ban.

“We, Harlequins, acknowledge that we failed to control Dean Richards. I trusted Dean.

“As a result of the board’s failure to exercise control, the club cheated.

“This is totally unacceptable,” said Jillings.