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An independent panel described the incident as “depressing and pathetic”
An amateur rugby player has been hit with a 10-week ban from the game for a “depressing and pathetic” social media post.
Kyle Skipworth, a player for Grimsby RUFC, was charged by the Rugby Football Union with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union and the game for the post he published on his Instagram story on January 10.
The post showed him tackling an unidentified rugby player from North Hykeham RUFC, with the caption: “If you wear a pink top with tight [sic] and gold boots to play rugby your [sic] gay”.
After the RFU claimed that the post was homophobic, the case went to an independent panel and the charge was upheld.
At the RFU hearing, Skipworth apologised for the post and the offence caused and set out his view that “inclusion is an important part of rugby”, while he also pointed to his clean disciplinary record.
The panel – who described the post as “frankly depressing and pathetic” – decided that a starting point of 20 weeks suspension was appropriate.
However, they agreed that the player was entitled to a reduction of 50 per cent in mitigation, due to his “prompt acceptance of the charge, clear remorse and otherwise positive aspects to his character” as well as his previously clean record and personal mitigation, relating to ill health in his family.
As a result, he was hit with a 10-week suspension, which can be reduced to eight if he completes a LGBTQ+ inclusion course, makes a presentation to his team-mates on what he learnt and sends evidence of both to the union.
In its written submissions, the RFU said: “The story suggests that anybody wearing a pink rugby shirt, rugby tights/leggings and gold boots must be homosexual.
“The story leans on a stereotype that homosexual men wear bright coloured clothing and shoes, and wear other clothing (i.e., tights/leggings) traditionally associated with women.
“There is also an insinuation in the overall post that somebody who wears such clothing/shoes on a rugby pitch is not ‘tough enough’ to play rugby.”
The convening of the panel came after an internal hearing was conducted at Grimsby RUFC, with Skipworth writing in his defence at the time: “Apologies for this. This was simply a joke as you are aware I am very close to the lgbt community and would never have intentionally mean [sic] to cause any negative feedback for the club.
“I later removed this post as I didn’t want my followers that don’t know me well to think that’s who I am. Again I apologies [sic] for this and will think twice about any post.”
Grimsby had imposed no sanction on the player following their own internal hearing, recognising “the pressures existing in his personal life including the serious ill health of one of his children”.
The club’s hearing also concluded that the post had been shared with the RFU as a “vindictive act”, with the club chairman identifying a “known trouble maker” as the person responsible for bringing it to the attention of the union.
However, the panel hit out at this conclusion, stating: “The conclusion by the club that there was a person acting vindictively to cause trouble is entirely irrelevant and unhelpful. The issue is the contents of the post; not the mechanism by which it was brought to the attention of the RFU.”
Issuing its own conclusion, the panel said: “One of the great strengths of rugby is that it seeks to include people irrespective of their background; ethnicity; sexual orientation or gender.
“Anyone who plays or coaches rugby at any level should understand that and will have had direct experience of rugby’s ability to unite people in a shared love of the sport.
“Those who disseminate material which trades on prejudice and lazy stereotypes must understand that they are offending the values of the sport and must understand that they will receive a punishment which is intended to have a deterrent effect.
“It is frankly depressing and pathetic that in 2026, a grown adult would publish a post on the internet featuring such an ignorant and demeaning view of the world.”
