A gym boss was sacked for suggesting a woman who missed class should be ‘raped’ as a punishment, after students signed an open letter demanding he lost job.
Senior instructor Ross Brain at Edinburgh University, Scotland, was dismissed without notice by the top university on Wednesday, two days after messages he was accused of sending were made public.
The messages, sent in a WhatsApp group to colleagues at Edinburgh University’s Sport and Exercise club, discussed potential punishments for a woman who missed an exercise class.
One message purportedly sent by Mr Brain said: “Lets rape her. Or give her the choice of 600 burpees or rape”.
When no response was forthcoming, he was accused of sending another, saying: “No-one up for this then?”.
Students at the prestigious university have slated the response to Mr Brain’s alleged conduct, and said supposed ‘zero-tolerance’ policies had not been ‘translated into action’.
More than 800 students signed an open letter to principal and vice-chancellor Peter Mathieson demanding Mr Brain was sacked.
Although the university refused to comment at the time, it has since emerged that he was sacked on Wednesday.
Students criticised the initial disciplinary procedure and said action should have been taken against Mr Brain in January.