I can’t do that – Bill Sweeney won’t walk away from RFU role despite pay scandal
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Bill Sweeney has vowed to fight on in his role as Rugby Football Union chief executive despite facing calls for his dismissal over a pay and bonuses scandal. Sweeney has also revealed that he wanted to defer the controversial bonus payment that has led to calls for his removal.
The RFU has agreed to hold a special general meeting, at which Sweeney will face moves to end his tenure, after the Guinness Six Nations. A total of 141 signatories are included on a letter that was sent to the RFU on January 9, easily exceeding the 100 member clubs needed to trigger a SGM under the governing body’s rules.
Annual accounts published in November revealed Sweeney received pay of £1.1million for the 2023-24 financial year, comprising of an increased salary of £742,000 and a bonus of £358,000. Further bonuses totalling almost £1m were paid to a five other executives even though the RFU reported a record operating loss of £37.9m and made 42 staff redundant.
Speaking to The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, Sweeney said: “I have definitely got the energy (to carry on). I mean, the easiest thing to do now would be (to) walk away. “The easiest thing to do now would be to say, ‘right, I’ve had enough of this stuff. I’ve had enough of this political crap that goes on. It’s worse than Succession. I’ve had enough of all that stuff. Why bother?’.
“I can’t do that. I wouldn’t do that. It’s just unbearable to think I would just take that easy option out. “We have got some great stuff that we’ve developed and we’re just starting to land into the game. I know what’s going on behind the scenes. I know who is involved in it.
