University of Bath launches investigation after ‘terrified’ students raise concerns about Rugby Club

The University of Bath is commissioning an independent investigation into allegations made about Rugby Club members, following outcry from students.

During Freshers’ Week, Bath students expressed concerns about alleged spiking and the Rugby Club’s attitudes towards women. In screenshots seen by The Tab, students warned group chats that an “initiation” for University of Bath rugby players was to spike a female student from Bath Spa University. In another WhatsApp message, a student claimed to have heard “rugby guys” in a pub “taking about spiking” her and her friends. She alerted others these students could be “on the prowl”.

The University of Bath and the Students’ Union have yet to establish the veracity of these claims.

The Rugby Club said it has “not organised, promoted, or attempted to arrange any activity of this nature”, and it “does not condone, encourage, or accept targeting, coercion, harassment, intimidation, or any behaviour that puts others at risk”.

The Students’ Union does not permit clubs to organise “initiations”. Students hoping to run “Welcome Socials” are supposed to submit their plans to the Students’ Union for approval.

A spokesperson for the University of Bath told The Tab: “The safety and wellbeing of the student community in Bath is our priority. We are proactively investigating the matter to establish the facts. We are already liaising with our own student community and external partners.”

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by University of Bath (@uniofbath)

On 23rd September, the university posted a statement reminding students that “spiking is illegal and carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison”. 

The university then announced on 29th September that “the specific allegations circulating on social media” would be investigated independently. A wider review of the culture around sports clubs will begin, and stalls about safety and harassment will be on campus over the next fortnight.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by University of Bath (@uniofbath)

Imani Tahsin, a University of Bath student, has been spiked before. She is “absolutely terrified” of this happening to others in Bath.

Imani and her friends were at the University of Bath SU Sports Fair when they saw a screenshot of messages about rugby club members’ alleged behaviour. She told The Tab: “This was even more infuriating, [as we were] seeing rugby having a platform and encouraging these kids to join their society.” Imani believes the rugby club’s funding should be limited. “They have proved time and time again that they are not open to changing their abhorrent behaviour towards women.”

“Generally speaking,” she said, “the rugby culture seems to have been built on a foundation that women are something for them to collect, and not actual human beings who deserve to feel safe and respected.”

Most Read

How to do the Hotel Lobby AI trend from TikTok that puts people into Quavo and Takeoff video

The full Celebrity Traitors 2026 episode schedule as day change is confirmed

Chris Watts ends prison relationship and calls off his jail wedding just weeks after it went public

The student publication Bath Time found the university took more than 30 cases of disciplinary action against Rugby Club members for their behaviour between October 2028 and October 2019, which amounted to a quarter of all cases. In 2020, Somerset Live revealed a series of complaints against students on the rugby union team relating to “inappropriate behaviour” towards women, physical fights, and “excessive alcohol consumption”. The Students’ Union banned the men’s rugby union team from competing in Varsity that year, and decided all rugby club members would attend “bystander training”.

Bath students also raised concerns about members of the Rugby Club and spiking allegations in 2025.

The Parade at the University of Bath
(Credit: Jonathan Billinger)

Pharmacology student Gabriel Meditsch claims rugby players have a reputation among University of Bath students for being “very rude”.

Gabriel felt the university’s response during Freshers’ Week to concerns about spiking “show little respect towards the young women in the university”. He believes “the university should be harsher on its consequences rather than just a slap on the wrist “.

A petition called “Hold the University of Bath accountable” has surpassed 100 signatures in four days. The description on change.org says rumours about Rugby Club’s members have “caused mass amounts of fear and anger across student communities”. The petition called for “proper investigation” into the issue, and for anybody found responsible for misconduct to “face appropriate consequences”.

Paige Stockley, who is in her final year of studying psychology, said: “For the remainder of the academic year, many of us will carry an additional layer of subconscious vigilance.”

the University of Bath’s campus
(Credit: Canva / Aashima99)

Eva, an international politics and modern languages student, sadly experienced spiking during her second year of university. “It’s traumatising,” she told The Tab, “I now don’t drink as much. I’m extremely careful with my drinks, and it’s completely changed my feelings on going out.”

Eva believes the risk of spiking in student spaces has “just gotten worse”. She continued: “The current situation is extremely disappointing for me personally because I was given great support when I got spiked.

“The onus shouldn’t be on women to keep themselves safe. Men should stop putting us in danger.”

The University of Bath said: “We take any allegations and concerns relating to student welfare, safeguarding, and community standards extremely seriously … We appreciate that this situation has been frightening for many students, particularly women who are now concerned about their own safety when going out in Bath.

“We are also concerned about reports of abuse directed at student sports club members. It is really important that all our students’ wellbeing and safety is respected while due process is carried out.”

For more like this, follow The Tab on Instagram.

Featured image credit: Jonathan Billinger