Over 50 University of Surrey students banned from sports teams amid sexual harassment allegations

52 students from the University of Surrey have been banned from representing the institution’s sports teams after sexual harassment allegations emerged following a tour of Croatia earlier this year.

The University of Surrey’s Men’s Football Club culture has been described by a sporting disciplinary panel as “increasingly unacceptable” during matches and social events.

The “harmful and offensive” behaviour of the football team had become “normalised”, the panel said. As a result, other members of the club did not feel obliged to speak about it.

One student has faced expulsion for three acts of sexual misconduct or harassment and one count of aggressive behaviour.

Another two students of the team, who were also accused of harassment, have been issued with final written warnings, one of whom is also banned from attending the university premises at certain times and the other has been banned from attending organised university social events.

All three students were banned from attending their graduation ceremonies.

One Surrey student told The Telegraph: “Realistically, sport very much takes a backseat. It has a reputation for being a week-long initiation event for the new sports team.

“People are just doing everything you would expect from a lads holiday. It is accepted that this is an alcohol heavy, raucous trip.”

We have taken robust action against them and will continue to do so to protect the safety and wellbeing of our wider student and staff community

– Surrey University spokesperson

Other students, recalling a game that involved teammates issuing dares to one another, encouraging one another to make advances on women whilst other team members tried to “intercept” them, said that the behaviour of some had gone too far this year.

Alan Sutherland, chief executive of Surrey’s student unions said: “We became aware of the misconduct, and as investigations proceeded any individual students who were accused of committing a ‘major’ offence as per the student disciplinary regulations were referred to a university investigation.”

Surrey University’s Men’s Football Club stated that they “sincerely apologise” for its members actions during the recent tour of Croatia.

“The club fully accepts the sanctions put in place by the students’ Union at the end of last year and the main perpetrators have now left the University,” a spokesman said.

“We are now focusing on the year ahead and are committed to ensuring that we prevent similar events from happening again.”

President of Surrey University’s Students’ Union Gemma Paine told BBC Surrey that the SU was working with the university to help students feel they could report inappropriate behaviour.

Surrey University said they are “deeply saddened by the actions of these students”.

It added that the students used “unacceptable language and behaviour” and showed “little consideration for their fellow students”.

A spokesman said: “We have taken robust action against them and will continue to do so to protect the safety and wellbeing of our wider student and staff community. We are supporting the students who were affected directly.”