REVEALED: The Bristol Uni sports societies boycotting clubs to support Girls Night In

One sports club did not say whether they were boycotting clubs this Wednesday or not

| UPDATED

Updated: All Bristol Uni sports clubs contacted have now said they will take part in the boycott

Dozens of Bristol Uni sports clubs are boycotting sports night this Wednesday in support of the Girls Night In campaign.

Clubs are joining the boycott to help improve students’ safety on nights out, calling on clubs to introduce more measures to prevent spiking.

The Athletics & Cross Country club said they are “working with Gravity and Girls Night In Bristol to create a safer clubbing environment for all”. The Men’s Rugby club said they wanted to “take a stance against this sickening violence”, whilst the Squash club said: “Everyone’s safety needs to come first”.

The movement comes in the wake of huge numbers of spiking reports across the UK, including in Bristol, where two 18-year-old-men were arrested on suspicion of spiking a women in Pryzm earlier this month.

Fishies, host of sports night in Gravity nightclub said: “We will do all we can to remove the scum bags [sic] of nightclubs and go back to the good times we all love in nightclubs”.

Another popular student nightclub, Lizard Lounge said: “We are fully behind the anti-spiking campaign. This has been an on going talking and action point for our team especially of recent. We are intent on continuing to ensure safety is paramount for customers”.

Pryzm Bristol, said in a statement: “We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment so that all our customers can enjoy a fun night out and will do everything we can to protect this right”.

Here are the Bristol Uni sports clubs that are boycotting clubs this Wednesday and those that haven’t said they are.

Hockey – Boycotting

Charlotte Ross, Women’s Hockey Club Captain told The Bristol Tab: “As a club, we are appalled at the events which we have heard, and in many cases, unfortunately, seen, among friends and are committed to doing all that we can practically do to make a stand against such shocking instances.

“We are currently in conversation with other societies and students to plan educational sessions and training collaborations to increase awareness and make our members feel more in control of situations that they may find themselves – or friends –  in the future.”

Those thoughts were reiterated by Men’s Hockey Club Captain, Dhillon Shukla who said: “We stand in solidarity with the Girls Night In anti-spiking campaign and firmly support the boycott. The UBMHC encourage all students to take action this Wednesday including: educating yourselves, boycotting clubs and emailing club managers demanding action”.

Rugby – Boycotting

Both Men and Women’s rugby clubs will be boycotting on Wednesday night. The Men’s club said: “As a club we want to take a strong stance against this sickening violence which is why we fully support @girlsnightinbristol.”

Athletics & Cross Country – Boycotting

“As a club our first priority is ensuring our members are safe and feel safe to go out in Bristol in the future. We are proud to be taking part in the boycott and are currently working with Gravity and Girls Night In Bristol to try and create a safer clubbing environment for all”, Club Captain, Mollie Valentine said.

Netball – Boycotting

Club Captain, Anna Hughes said: “It is so important to us that our members feel safe on a night out and hopefully this boycott will make clubs take further measures to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Bristol Snowsports – Boycotting

Men’s Football – Boycotting

Women’s Football – Boycotting

Club captain, Lucy Matthews told The Bristol Tab: “We believe everyone should feel safe on a night out and since we are a women’s society we want to support the cause for women’s safety and look out for everyone else as part of the uni community”.

Tennis – Boycotting

The Tennis club are hosting a family social instead of going clubbing this week.

“47 per cent of our 375 members are women so this is an issue that likely will have affected some of them and the committee are unanimous that encouraging people to go out next Wednesday wasn’t something we’d do”, they said.

Lacrosse – Boycotting

Rowing – Boycotting

Cricket – Boycotting

Sailing – Boycotting

Volleyball – Boycotting

Gymnastics – Boycotting

Boxing – Boycotting

Trampoline – Boycotting

Ultimate Frisbee – Boycotting

Squash – Boycotting

“Squash are proud to be taking part in the boycott.

“As much as we all love going out on sports night, it is much more important that everyone feels safe on their night out. Everyone’s safety needs to come first.”

Swimming & Water Polo – Boycotting

Basketball – Boycotting

The Basketball club confirmed they would not go clubbing on sports night and will instead host their social elsewhere. “Hopefully this will begin to tackle the proliferating incidents of spiking”, they said.

Archery – Boycotting

Fencing – Boycotting

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Bristol students are boycotting clubs next Wednesday, demanding they do more to prevent spiking

• Almost half of Bristol Uni students have been sexually harassed, report finds

One in 20 Bristol Uni students thinks flirting and how you are dressed is consent