Players sent to 'good lad' workshops

Every Oxford college rugby team had to sign up to the hour-long workshops in order to enter this year's Cupper knockout tournament. Photo / Thinkstock

Students at Oxford University in Britain are being allowed to compete in the biggest rugby tournaments of the season only if they agree to attend anti-misogyny workshops, under a new scheme.

The attempt to combat sexism on campus is the first time that the classes have been made a condition of participation on the sports field.

Campaigners said they hope to introduce similar conditions for involvement in other sports, such as football, rowing, hockey and cricket, and organisers are in talks with other universities about introducing the scheme nationally.

Every Oxford college rugby team had to sign up to the hour-long workshops in order to enter this year's Cupper knockout tournament.

The "good lad" courses are an attempt to combat the "lad culture" prevalent on campus, and include discussions about sexual harassment, consent, "lad banter" and team initiation ceremonies.

The idea came from Dave Llewellyn, 27, an Oxford graduate and sportsman who said he got fed up with the levels of boorishness in the locker room.

"There were so many examples," said Mr Llewellyn, an Australian.

"It was all in jest but it all pointed to some deep-seated attitudes. I realised that singing about all those women you're going to conquer, those were not my values. Everyone has a friend or knows someone who has been made to feel uncomfortable [as a result of sexism]. But there was nowhere for guys like me and my friends, men who think of themselves as good guys, with good principles, to engage in the conversation," he told The Times.

Two weeks ago, an Oxford University student published an open letter to the 17-year-old boy who assaulted her as she was walking home. Ione Wells described the fear she endured when the youth pounced on her as she walked from a Tube station.

In 2013, an Oxford University college rugby club sparked outrage after its social secretary sent an email inviting players to "pick" a female fresher for a night out and spike her wine with "a substance of your choice".

The message, headlined with a crude sexual phrase, was distributed to members of Pembroke College rugby club outlining plans for a "crew date", an Oxford tradition where sports teams organise drunken get-togethers with other squads or drinking societies.

The email also instructed one member of the team to "bring a positive pregnancy test".