WELSH RUGBY UNION chief executive Steve Phillips resigned today following mounting pressure after allegations of misogyny, sexism, homophobia and racism.

A BBC Wales documentary broadcast last week raised the allegations about Welsh rugby’s governing body: a former boss at Welsh women’s rugby said she had considered suicide because of what she claimed was a toxic culture of sexism.

Charlotte Wathan also told the BBC that a male colleague said — in front of others in an office — that he wanted to rape her.

Another former WRU employee reported that she had written a manual for her husband in case she killed herself.

Phillips had tried to resist the calls for his resignation but the mounting pressure from sponsors, politicians and from within the game in Wales made his decision inevitable.

The mounting pressure on the WRU rose further on Thursday when Cardiff Rugby director Hayley Parsons called on Phillips and the entire WRU board to quit. Her call was supported by all four Welsh regions, with players expressing their dismay and the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association writing to the WRU.

Former Olympic hurdler and performance director Nigel Walker will take over as acting chief executive.

“There is no doubt that Welsh rugby is facing an existential crisis,” Walker admitted. “This has been a wake-up call. Perhaps it is a call that has been overdue.

“The first step to any recovery is admitting the problem. We must now listen intently to what people from outside our organisation are telling us.

“We care and are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we work hard in this space with dedicated resource and investment. But we need to do better. We need to do much better — and we will.”

Plaid Cymru’s sports spokeswoman Heledd Fychan has welcomed Phillips’s resignation. She said: “It is the right action to take after the abject failure of the WRU to date to deal with very serious allegations of misogyny and sexism that were seemingly known to him and others.

“Nigel Walker’s appointment as acting CEO must signal the beginning and not the end of the significant structural and cultural changes needed at the WRU.

“The Welsh government should now consider whether it is appropriate for the WRU to receive any further public money until these changes are made.”

The political pressure had been raised further when the Welsh Senedd sport committee decided to devote the whole of its session this Thursday to the issue. The committee has decided to question the WRU and the Welsh government over actions taken to deal with the allegations.

WRU chairman Ieuan Evans and Welsh government Sports Deputy Minister Dawn Bowden met last week to discuss an independent taskforce to be charged with investigating culture and behaviours within the national governing body. Also attending the meeting were Sport Wales acting chief executive Brian Davies, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Phillips.

The meeting decided that to maintain independence, Sport Wales would advise on appointing a chair to oversee the investigation, set its scope and parameters and recruit key personnel to its panel.

Now Evans and Bowden have been ordered to attend the Senedd’s culture, communications, Welsh language, sport, & international relations committee.

The panel of Senedd members say the intention is to gain a deeper understanding of the issues brought to light in the BBC programme and to look at the taskforce set up by the WRU. The committee also want to look at the activity of the Welsh government and hear evidence about what actions it has taken. Though the session on Thursday is not an inquiry, the sport committee will consider what formal action may follow.