JUDGE JEFF Blackett, the Rugby Football Union’s chief disciplinary officer, has said everyone on the governing body must start rebuilding trust in each other after the departure of Martyn Thomas, the acting chief executive.
Thomas, who stood down from his post more than two weeks earlier than expected, fired a parting shot at Blackett as he cleared his desk at Twickenham, calling on him to resign.
Blackett had in the summer chaired a five-man panel into the circumstances leading to the hiring of John Steele as the RFU’s chief executive last year and his firing in June.
The report recommended that Thomas, who was then chairman of the union’s board of directors, be relieved of all his roles on the RFU but keep the chairmanship of the body running the 2015 World Cup.
The panel found there had been leaks to the media against Steele and also recommended the entire board of directors, with the exception of Bill Beaumont, a co-opted member, should resign.
Blackett considered whether to bring charges of misconduct by Thomas but, after being threatened with a defamation action by the then chairman as he read the report to RFU council members, asked for an independent review of the evidence.
Charles Flint, QC, reported to the RFU’s president Willie Wildash and found there was not enough evidence to sustain a charge of misconduct against Thomas, who immediately called on Blackett to resign, along with two other council members on the five-man panel, Malcolm Wharton and Lt Cdr Geraint Ashton-Jones.
John Owen, a former RFU president and supporter of Thomas, maintained the inquiry was a witch-hunt against Thomas from day one and that the panel was looking for a scapegoat.
“Blackett has no option but to resign,” he went on. “Martyn Thomas, a man highly regarded in the world game, has been hounded out.”
Blackett said he would not be resigning and would take soundings from the RFU’s council, which meets at Twickenham today, about whether it wanted him to stay on. He also denied he had been out to get Thomas.
“I do not disagree with Charles Flint’s advice because he only saw part of the evidence,” said Blackett. “Nine people would not release documents to him. Far from exonerating Martyn Thomas, what the report says is that there is insufficient evidence to bring charges; it amounts to the Scottish verdict of not proven.
“I am not going to resign, nor will Malcolm or Geraint, and, as long as I have the backing of the RFU’s council, I will continue as chief disciplinary officer.
“As to the suggestion I was out to get Martyn, it is without foundation. I was a strong supporter of him as chairman and I take no pleasure in what has happened. The panel started with a blank canvas and we went in the direction that the evidence took us. This has been a terrible year for the RFU and it is absolutely essential, as we head towards 2012, that we start rebuilding trust in the organisation. We now have the chance to do that and we must not waste it.”
A press conference with the RFU acting chief executive Stephen Brown and PGB chairman Ian Metcalfe has been called for 4.30pm at Twickenham this afternoon.
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