More Swimmers Speak Out
Meilutytė’s account is not isolated. BBC Panorama also spoke to 11 other former swimmers from the same club who described a harmful culture marked by verbal abuse, controlling behavior, and a damaging emphasis on food and body image. Many said their mental health suffered during their time under Rudd’s leadership.
Jon Rudd was the head coach at Plymouth Leander from 1989 until 2017. Over nearly three decades, he built the club’s reputation into one of the most respected in the UK, attracting swimmers from all over the world. But during that time, he also held responsibility for safeguarding the well-being of young athletes—a responsibility some say he failed.
A Missed Opportunity for Accountability
Despite years of complaints and a 2012 internal investigation by Swim England that concluded Rudd should be suspended due to witness testimony from 17 people, no action was ever taken. Swim England’s new chief executive, Andy Salmon, has since said he doesn’t know why the suspension was never carried out. “We let those swimmers down,” he said, offering a public apology to those affected.
Rudd has not responded to requests for comment. His coaching career has continued internationally; he went on to serve as Swim Ireland’s performance director and is now set to lead Saudi Arabia’s Olympic swimming team.
A Club With a Darker Past
The controversy surrounding Rudd has also resurfaced questions about the club’s past, particularly regarding swimmer Antony James—one of Plymouth Leander’s most successful athletes. James won a Commonwealth Games silver medal in 2010 and competed at the London 2012 Olympics. However, in early 2025, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison for raping two teenage girls he met through the club.
Several former swimmers say James’s behavior toward younger girls was an open secret. One woman, who dated James at 16 while he was 22, said he was widely known to mix with underage girls. She described herself as a "gateway" that made it easier for him to groom younger victims.
Given Rudd’s long-standing role as James’s coach—from the time he was eight years old—former teammates question how such behavior went unnoticed. Some believe Rudd turned a blind eye, while others feel the club’s culture actively discouraged speaking out.
The Bigger Picture
Plymouth College, which worked in partnership with Plymouth Leander from 2001 to 2024, housed many of the young athletes who trained at the club. Rudd was also employed by the school until 2017. The close connection between the two institutions meant coaches had an outsized influence on athletes’ everyday lives, including their education, housing, and nutrition.
Now 28, Meilutytė continues to process what she experienced. While she’s proud of her achievements, she wants the truth to be told so others don’t go through the same. “Success shouldn't come at the cost of your mental health,” she said. “We were children—someone should have protected us.”
As Swim England faces growing calls for reform, former athletes are urging the sport to prioritize safeguarding over medals. The question remains: how many champions were broken along the way?
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