Pembroke Punishes Rugby Club Social Secretary

He won’t be back until Hilary, and also has to fork out 500 pounds in fines.


After last week’s scandal surrounding Pembroke College Rugby Club’s email entitled ‘Free Pussy’,  Pembroke College’s hammer has fallen squarely on the club’s resigned Social Secretary who has been “asked to leave” for the rest of 2013.

In a statement and apology to the college, the Social Secretary explained that “I didn’t see at the time… that the email was horrendous. …I cannot be more sincere about my apology.”

He went on to say that he will be attending sexual harassment workshop and that he’s also been fined an EYE WATERING £500 by college.

“Personally, I don’t think they’re charging enough” – No one, ever.

Pembroke’s Rugby Club Captain has also resigned, explaining in his speech that “I am too inextricably linked [to the email] to be a positive influence”, and that “Sexist themes need to be stopped.”

The entire rugby club has also been relegated by OURFC, and all social events for the entire term by the club have been cancelled.

Now a lad free zone

Responses to the sanctions have been mixed, with some praising the willingness of Pembroke to stand up to misogyny.

Others however, have taken offense at the severity of the punishment: “I think it’s crazy. I know people who’ve literally vandalised parts of my college and gotten away with a £200 fine. £500 is absolutely mad – that’s an astronomical sum.”

Pembroke College’s JCR President, Rebecca Howe, expressed her concern over the measures taken: “500 pounds is a huge amount of money, and fines as a symbolic punishment aren’t always appropriate.”

Second-hand one of these will set Pembroke back £499

She went on to say the point has already been made by college, as she feels “the other punishments that college have given him should act as deterrent enough, and a financial one is unnecessary in this instance.”

“I think that the reactions to and the punishment of the Social Secretary have been sufficient warning to the rest of college and to the wider university community.”