gair rhydd y Monday March 23rd 2015 | freeword | Issue 1049
In this week’s issue: an interview with Labour leader Ed Miliband, the plans for the first UKIP society in Wales detailed, and why we can no longer ignore the housing crisis
Hockey committee members ‘pressured’ to resign ‘Severe’ sanctions imposed following streaking incident in Julian Hodge
EXCLUSIVE Anna Lewis
M
embers of the Cardiff Men’s Hockey committee have reportedly been ‘pressured’ to resign after team members were recorded ‘streaking’ in the Julian Hodge Building. The incident, which took place in the building’s library and was recorded on video by a surprised onlooker, led to both social secretaries of the men’s hockey team leaving their positions. According to a message posted to the one of the group’s social media pages last week, the committee felt itself to be under pressure to introduce ‘sanctions against certain members of the club’. In the Facebook post, the secretaries detailed an alleged loss
Why nightclubs are “hell on earth” P11 >>
of confidence in their ability to fulfil their roles, explaining that “we feel we have lost the backing of the chairman and the committee and we feel our position has become untenable.” “We feel we did the job to the best of our abilities and feel that his decision is putting the club’s best interests first.” “It’s with a heavy heart and teary eyes as I type this for the last time,” the message concluded. There has been speculation that the students involved in the incident, which was reported by Gair Rhydd last week, have been banned from training or participating in matches for the remainder of the academic year.
However, those responding to the disciplinary action have voiced concerns that the action taken is too severe. Former student Chris Houghton said: “I think a hockey player’s job is to play hockey. If anything, all that running around with their kit off shows is an intense devotion to their sport.” Some have claimed that students shedding clothes on campus is not a new phenomenon, especially in student residences such as Talybont, and is not particularly controversial. Indeed, the behaviour seems muted in comparison to alleged behaviour in student halls - one third-year student recalled waking up in Talybont South to “six students
The Lib Dems after Clegg P17 >>
pissing on the side of my house.” Journalism, Media and Culture undergraduate Sophie Lodge also confirmed that she had seen “people streaking” in Talybont North during her first year. But talking about the disciplinary action, Lodge expressed doubt over whether the resignations were too harsh an outcome. “It’s not like they are losing a job, they’re losing a voluntary position in a society they participate in in their spare time,” she said. Last week, Gair Rhydd reported that students who bore witness to the hockey players streaking in the library found the incident amusing rather than disruptive. Speaking to student news website
Pictured:
Hockey players at last year’s varsity (Taliesin Coombes)
Continued on page 4
“Stop taking liberties for granted” P10 >>