The conduct of Scottish Rugby Union CEO Mark Dodson in the sacking of Keith Russell, the former director of domestic rugby "who won an unfair-dismissal case against the union recently," will be investigated, according to Alasdair Reid of the LONDON TIMES. The review will be led by Lesley Thomson QC, a former solicitor general for Scotland and current non-exec director of the SRU. Dodson dismissed Russell, the father of Scotland fly half Finn, in May last year. His sacking took immediate effect and he subsequently "refused to negotiate a severance package that he believed would have included a non-disclosure agreement, preferring to take his case to an employment tribunal instead." That process ended recently with Judge Joseph D'Inverno finding that his dismissal was "both procedurally and substantively unfair." Having been "completely vindicated," Russell is expected to receive "a six-figure sum" when a compensation package is finalized. After the verdict, Russell was "fiercely critical of Dodson and the culture of the SRU," which he described as "toxic." Dodson was "portrayed as autocratic, and scornful of the SRU Council and member clubs" (LONDON TIMES, 6/18). The BBC reported SRU Chair Colin Grassie "instigated a full review to look into the sequence of events that led to the tribunal and matters in respect of the employment tribunal findings." The SRU said, "We acknowledge the findings of the recent employment tribunal. Both board and council believe the terms and outcome of the judgement require further and important consideration" (BBC, 6/17). The BBC's Tom English reported Dodson said that he "has not considered standing down." He said that the description of the SRU's governance is "not something I recognise" and added that "if there's been a process failure here then I'm sorry." SRU President Rob Flockhart also defended the organization, saying, "Some of the criticism has been laughable. I feel very, very strongly about it" (BBC, 6/18). In Edinburgh, Stuart Bathgate reported there is "no specific timescale" for the review other than the suggestion that it "will be concluded as expediently as is practicable," but the board and council have committed to "work through any findings and recommendations which will be incorporated into our activities going forward." Flockhart insisted that the review would be "a worthwhile exercise." He said, "I can assure you it will be robust. Lesley has been given full brief to take outside advice both legal and business" (SCOTSMAN, 6/18).
