Men's Rugby Club suspended after footage of team exposing themselves in public emerges
The Men's Rugby Club were seen exposing themselves in public, being encouraged to defecate in public, and making offensive comments about immigrants and the disabled.
Imperial College Men’s Rugby Club (ICURFC) have been suspended after evidence emerged showing the team exposing themselves in public.
Students were caught showing their genitals in front of the Cenotaph, climbing naked into the fountains in Trafalgar Square, and making jokes about Mexicans and disabled people. The students’ behaviour was described as “completely unacceptable” by both the College and Imperial College Union, who suspended the team earlier this week.
Video and photographic evidence, which had been shared on a group WhatsApp chat, was published by The Sun earlier this week.
The photos show the students, apparently on a ‘Mexican-themed’ night out, posing naked in front of the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, covering their genitals with sombreros. Other photographs feature team members exposing themselves outside the Royal Albert Hall and downing bottles of wine.
Videos published by The Sun show members of the group nakedly clambering through the fountains in Trafalgar Square. One student attempts to climb to the top of the fountain, while another says “bonus points if you get in that saucer and take a dump”.
Further videos feature a naked student coming out of a phone box near the Cenotaph war memorial, before displaying his genitals and singing “I’ve got bigger maracas” to the onlookers. Another video shows a student exposing himself on a public tube carriage.
Students were caught showing their genitals in front of the Cenotaph, climbing naked into the fountains in Trafalgar Square, and making jokes about Mexicans and disabled people
Other videos show the students making offensive comments: in one, a student in a sombrero and poncho clambers over a high wall, while another shouts “typical immigrant”. Another video allegedly shows a student trying to dance with a disabled girl in a nightclub; a comment on the WhatsApp group reads: “Poor girl can’t even walk away.”
The Union suspended the Men’s Rugby Club prior to the publication of the story, which was quickly picked up by other news outlets, including the Telegraph and the Independent.
In a statement on behalf of the Union and the College, a representative told Felix: “This alleged behaviour goes against the values and expectations of our student and staff community and is completely unacceptable. Everyone deserves to feel supported and respected. The College and Students’ Union continue to work hard to challenge and remove all inappropriate behaviour at Imperial.”
“The Students’ Union has strict policies in place regarding the behaviour of all members of clubs and societies. In response to these allegations the Union has suspended the club pending investigation - further disciplinary action will be taken where necessary.”
A representative of ICURFC told Felix: “The rugby club are deeply regretful about the behaviour which occurred in this incident and how it reflects on the university and members of the club. We are fully cooperating with the Union in this investigation to ensure an outcome is reached as quickly and easily as possible.”
ICURFC will now face an investigation from the Union, who will take their findings to Governance Committee before the end of June. The Club will be suspended until this is resolved.
This is not the first time the Rugby Team have been in the headlines for stripping in public: in 2014 the team was suspended after members stripped on a public tube carriage, leading to the police being called.
