EX-WALES ACE IN RACIST JIBE CLAIM
POLICE are investigating an allegation by former Wales prop Martyn Madden that the chairman of a Welsh rugby club posted a racist message about him online.
Madden claims Andrew Tellem, of Bridgend Athletic RFC, sent an emoji of a gorilla, which referred to him, during a conversation on the first team’s WhatsApp group.
South Wales Police confirmed they are “investigating an incident relating to offensive material being published”, which was reported to them on August 15. A spokesperson said anyone with information can call police on 101.
Madden, 44, who posted about the incident on Facebook, told the Western Mail he confronted Tellem at the club and that he admitted the emoji had been about him.
He insisted that he chose to speak out publicly about the matter for the sake of his fouryear-old son.
“I wrote to the club and said that if they could assure me a thorough investigation would take place and that they would deal with it properly, that would be enough,” said the ex-Scarlets front rower, capped five times for Wales while Steve Hansen was in charge in 2002 and 2003.
“But I received no apology and a brief response that just said what they had seen on Facebook was outrageous.
“That was just totally unacceptable to me, but at least I gave them the opportunity.
“I don’t throw mud at people for the sake of it. I’m not like that.
“Some may think you are jumping on some bandwagon when you complain about things like this, but it is so upsetting. I went through stuff like this when I was a kid and it has got better.
“But when it happens to you as an adult I feel it becomes not just about protecting yourself, you are protecting your kids.
“I don’t want my son, Marty, to feel the way I did when I was younger or be reluctant to play rugby because of this.
“I want him to play rugby – and stay in rugby.”
Bridgend Athletic, the club where former Lions full-back Lee Byrne began his career, said in a statement that their investigation would deal with the situation appropriately and be as quick as possible.
“The club has been told that Mr Madden has also complained to the police and to the Welsh Rugby Union,” said the statement. “It would therefore be inappropriate for the club to add anything further at this stage save to say that if either or both of these organisations conduct their own investigations, the club will cooperate and assist in every way it can.”
The Welsh Rugby Union is aware of the police investigation.
“There is no place in Welsh rugby for racism of any kind,” it said. “We will await the outcome of that and of an internal club investigation before deciding if any further action needs to take place.”
When the Western Mail called Mr Tellem’s home we were told he would not be commenting on the matter.