Another rugby team suspended after Imperial Medicals smash coach window

Medic rugby players have been suspended pending investigation after smashing a window in a moving coach.

The players, members of the Imperial Medicals Rugby Club, were travelling to Bristol on their “School’s Tour” last Wednesday when the incident took place. The double glazed window on the side of the coach was smashed with an emergency hammer: the inner pane was shattered, but the driver was only made aware of the damage upon arriving in Bristol.

It is uncertain as to when exactly the window was smashed, or how fast the coach was going at the time. Several sources have alleged that the student responsible was a first year student, although this is yet to be confirmed.

A source that works for the coach company, Blue Ribbon Network, said that the team, as soon as they got on board, proceeded to “trash the whole vehicle.” Blue Ribbon Network organises, with other suppliers, to provide vehicles for bookings made by students and members of the public.

Said the company on the behaviour of the team, “Our supplier has been in business 40 years and they have never seen anything like it.”

“We will never book with them again.”

Blue Ribbon Network said they just want the costs of the damage recovered and aren’t interested in “pursuing police involvement.”

The coach was originally booked to take the team to a match in Birmingham, but an injured player on the Birmingham rugby team meant Birmingham weren’t able to play. The team were instead picked up from Hammersmith Apollo at around 18:00 on Wednesday evening (29th October) and taken straight to Bristol.

Imperial College Union found out about the incident the following morning around 08:00, and by midday the whole of Imperial Medicals were suspended and told to return home as early as possible.

The rugby team has already paid £5000 towards the costs of the damages done on the coach, as a “gesture”, although this is unlikely to cover all of the losses made by the company. The £5000 is thought to have come from the pockets of members themselves, and any further costs will have to be covered by the funds held by the team as a whole.

The window alone has cost £2500 to replace and the bus was rendered unusable for a week. The company is also keen to recover any loss of earnings that could have been made during this period.

After incorporating other damages done to the coach, alongside the loss of earnings from having to take the vehicle off the road, the source from the company said that the total damages would be closer to £10,000.

The team paid £850 for the coach hire and a further £500 to travel back to Bristol on Thursday evening. The coach company told Felix that the Imperial Medicals would struggle to book a coach in the future. “They’ve been blacklisted with every company in the industry.

“No-one will let them hire a vehicle, and we will certainly be turning them away in the future.”

The Imperial Medicals declined to comment.

The tour, known as The School’s Tour, takes place during October every year. The team initially planned to return on the 31st in time for the Halloween Bop at the Reynolds Bar. Tickets for the tour were priced at £75 per person.

This follows on from the incidents that also took place last Wednesday with the Imperial College Rugby team, who were seen to be stripping on tube platforms and disrupted a District Line train. With two of the main rugby teams now suspended, it has not been confirmed that Varsity will continue as in previous years with IC Rugby playing the Imperial Medicals.

Imperial College Union President, Tom Wheeler, gave Felix the following statement on the future of the Imperial Medicals: “I have led an investigation into the incidents regarding the Imperial College Medicals Rugby Club and a decision will be made during an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees Governance Committee on Tuesday 11 November.”

Tom Wheeler also sent an email to all Club Officers on Monday, reminding students of the consequences of such anti-social behaviour.

“It gravely concerns me that these activities are considered acceptable and that the sanctions that I am administering are considered ‘harsh’. I therefore feel it would be an appropriate time to remind everyone of the law. Drinking on public transport is illegal. Appearing naked in a public place is illegal. Drinking in a minibus is illegal.

“To make it absolutely clear, Alex, Abi and I will suspend any Club or Team the moment that a confirmed report is received. A thorough investigation will then be carried out; and this could take weeks. Every missed fixture, booking or activity will be forfeited, with no compensation.

“BUCS points, money, or ‘tradition' bear no relation to the extent of discipline that can and will be administered… Poor behaviour has never been acceptable and will no longer be tolerated.

“I am not exaggerating when I say that if there is another event similar to those of the previous week, the future of student-led, independent activity is at risk of cessation.”