Dodson in the dock
Russell Snr puts SRU failings at top of agenda after winning dismissal case
SRU chief executive Mark Dodson was under increasing pressure last night over his running of the governing body as explosive details emerged following the sacking of the father of Scotland international fly-half Finn Russell.
Keith Russell, the former SRU Director of Domestic Rugby, won an unfair dismissal case against the SRU that has left them reeling.
He was awarded substantial compensation, which has yet to be finalised, and damages by a tribunal after being fired from his £90,000-a-year job.
And after the ruling, Russell launched an attack on the way the SRU is run and the way his sacking was dealt with.
‘The SRU’s conduct has been unlawful, unethical and unbecoming of a national governing body, who trade very prominently on the values of rugby,’ said Russell.
‘I found a dysfunctional organisation with a lack of transparency and accountability, allied to a total absence of scrutiny from the board and council of the performance of the executive.
‘There are attitudes and behaviours that need to change fundamentally for the long-term health of the Scottish game.
‘Understanding that the clubs are the key stakeholders in the sport in Scotland is a distraction that they would prefer to avoid.
‘It’s so disappointing to realise that the guys at the top do not represent the values and culture of rugby.’ And, in an interview with The
Sunday Times and a rugby website, Russell explained why he was left ‘deeply shocked’ at the ‘dismissive’ attitude senior individuals at the SRU had towards the domestic game.
‘The attitude is that they (the clubs) are rubbish and can’t do, or think, of anything for themselves,’ he said. ‘They (senior SRU executives) are just interested in the pro teams because that is where the money is and goes.
‘There is no recognition that the vast majority of players still come from the clubs then work their way up the system and that, unless you get that system right, you end up with a real problem.
‘They are not there to develop sport. If you had 70 clubs go out of existence, but still had two pro teams and a national side, they’d say there’s no problem.
‘There’s no wider understanding of what a rugby club is or does. The SRU do not behave how a national organisation that prides itself on the values of rugby, and trades on them, ought to behave.
‘The SRU do not demonstrate a commitment to their own values at the top of the organisation, by the way they treat staff and how they engage with their key stakeholders — the clubs.
‘Decisions are made quickly and then changed without accurate analysis of the situation, clear strategy or tactics. Results are not analysed and there is little accountability. The open and transparent culture that coaches try to create just is not replicated at the top of the organisation.’
Russell has concerns about the new Super Six initiative, with the SRU part-funding six club franchises. There has been wide criticism that three of the franchises are in Edinburgh with none in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee or Perth.
‘He (Dodson) wants everything to be his way, rather than taking decisions based on discussions with the people those decisions affect,’ said Russell.
‘With Super Six, I fear clubs are going ahead with something that isn’t right for them because they are worried about being left behind. Financially, it could take a few clubs down and, below that, I worry about what we’ll be left with.’ Russell revealed he had turned down the chance to sign a nondisclosure agreement and take a settlement as he wanted to tell his story, adding: ‘What they offered wasn’t, for me, sufficient to waive my right to talk about how they treat people in the organisation and what is actually going on.
‘My own experience of the SRU management culture has been replicated by several people who are not able to speak out as a result of non-disclosure agreements associated with their dismissals.
‘I went to an employment tribunal to be able to publicly engage in the debate about what the SRU does and their management culture.’
He added: ‘I was criticised for welcoming people on my team having strong views. I was happy to take opinions, have robust discussion and walk out with a strategy.
‘In a sporting organisation, that’s what should happen. That’s what Gregor (Townsend) will be doing, that’s what Vern (Cotter) did but with Mark, it’s his way or nothing. It’s unhealthy and unsustainable.’
Russell was dismissed in May of last year after two years and three months in the job.
Dodson said that he was sacked due to ‘general under performance’.
He took his case to an employment tribunal in February where he gave evidence, as did Dodson and the SRU’s general counsel Robert Howat.
In written findings, Judge Joseph d’Inverno has found that the dismissal was ‘both procedurally and substantively unfair’ and that the SRU had acted ‘unreasonably’.
In his written judgment, he said: ‘Regarding whether the respondents (the SRU) honestly and reasonably held the belief that the claimant (Mr Russell) was not competent and whether there was a reasonable ground for that belief at the time of dismissal, the evidence of the respondent’s principal witnesses, the chief executive (Mark Dodson) and secretary (general counsel) was largely of a general nature tending towards the expression of opinions.
‘On the evidence presented, I was unable to find in fact that the respondent employer honestly and reasonably held belief that the claimant was not competent nor, and equally importantly, that there was a reasonable ground for that belief as at the time of dismissal.’
An SRU spokesman said they would not be commenting on Russell’s accusations.
On the tribunal, the spokesman said: ‘Scottish Rugby acknowledges the outcome of the tribunal and, while there are some areas of the ruling which it disagrees with, there will be no appeal.
‘We will now be reviewing the judgment and working with Mr Russell to conclude the process.
‘Scottish Rugby stands by its decision to change the leadership of the domestic rugby department given the fundamental importance this area plays in all aspects of the game in Scotland.’