BREAKING: Castle resigns
NEWS: Rugby Australia chief executive officer Raelene Castle has resigned on Thursday in the latest twist in one of the code’s most dramatic weeks.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the embattled boss resigned via a telephone conversation to interim chairman Paul McLean.
Castle pulled the pin on her tenure, which started back in late 2017, shortly after ten former Wallabies’ captains called for a change of leadership.
A tumultuous final year in charge included the sacking of superstar Israel Folau, significant pay cuts for players and staff as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and protracted negotiations for a new broadcasting deal.
*Also read: Big names shun former captains’ RA rebuke
Castle also released a statement which read: “I love rugby on every level and I will always love the code and the people I have had the honour of working with since I took this role.
“I made it clear to the board that I would stand up and take the flack and do everything possible to serve everyone’s best interests.
“In the last couple of hours, it has been made clear to me that the board believes my no longer being CEO would help give them the clear air they believe they need.
“The game is bigger than any one individual – so this evening I told the Chair that I would resign from the role I will do whatever is needed to ensure an orderly handover. I wish the code and everyone who loves rugby nothing but the best and I would like to thank the people I work with and the broader rugby community for their enormous support,”
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
