Board member Colin Rattigan alleges he was subject to an "extended period" of bullying and harassment
Thursday 1 October 2020 10:56, UK
The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association says it will "co-operate fully" with a UK Sport investigation into allegations of racism, bullying and harassment made by its only black board member.
UK Sport announced this week that it had opened an independent investigation, which it is understood relates to a complaint made in July by BBSA board member Colin Rattigan.
He alleges that he was subject to an "extended period" of bullying and harassment, and claims recordings of board meetings were made in an attempt to entrap him. It is understood in addition to his complaint to UK Sport, he has raised this as a breach of privacy issue with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Information Commissioner's Office.
It is also thought that he reported that a number of sources had told him that bobsleigh pilot Lamin Deen and other black coaches were being subjected to discriminatory treatment.
A BBSA statement said: "The Board welcomes UK Sport's Independent investigation and are happy to co-operate fully."
A senior coach at the BBSA wrote separately to UK Sport last week, claiming his experiences had left him "seriously worried" and saying he had witnessed examples of discrimination and an active campaign to sabotage Rattigan's strategy of development.
The coach claimed the behaviour was based on "narrow-mindedness, discrimination and prejudice" and that he and his peers "now had no confidence in the chair or the board".
The BBSA was the subject of a 2017 UK Sport investigation, which looked into allegations of a "toxic culture" within the organisation.
