Claire Bradbury, who worked as chief operating officer for rugby team Salford Red Devils, resigned last week, highlighting “misogynistic, inappropriate language” at the club.
Bradbury joined the Salford Red Devils in October 2024 after more than three years working at the Premiership rugby union team Sale Sharks.
Shortly after resigning the role, Bradbury shared a LinkedIn post on Friday (15 August) that stated: “It is important to share something more personal, as a senior woman in business. Misogynistic, inappropriate language from the ownership suggesting I sleep with an individual at the [Rugby Football League] RFL to ‘smooth things over’ is not acceptable.”
She explained that at the time of the alleged comment, she stayed quiet because she wanted the club to succeed: “I’m disappointed in myself that I didn’t stand up to it then, so I’m voicing it now as it should be heard for the integrity and evolution of rugby league and for all women who work in sport.”
Bradbury later described her Salford Red Devils colleagues to HR magazine as “good, decent, kind, loyal, hardworking people”.
According to Sharon Peake, founder CEO of gender equity consultancy Shape Talent, too many workplaces treat misogyny as a ‘bad apple’ issue, something to be managed quietly, case-by-case. In comments to HR magazine, Peake added that recent scandals show misogyny is symptom of deeper cultural dysfunction.
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Peake told HR magazine: “This case is appalling. It is extremely sad that these behaviours still go on in this age. The reality is that misogyny thrives where poor leadership and cultural complacency go unchallenged.”
In a statement issued to Sky Sports News, leaders of Salford Red Devils said: “It has been alleged by a former member of the Salford Red Devils staff, who departed the club on 12 August 2025, that she was subjected to inappropriate verbal conduct by the owners of the club.”
The club “condemns any and all forms of inappropriate language and behaviour” and treats “allegations with the utmost seriousness”. Leaders are due to conduct a “thorough internal investigation” and have pledged to take “necessary action to address the situation”.
Speaking to HR magazine, Debbie Bayntun-Lees, professor of organisational development at Hult International Business School, explained that misogyny thrives when bad behaviour is ignored or the target is quietly moved on. In such cases, HR professionals must act decisively, investigate quickly, hold people accountable at every level, and make consequences visible, said Bayntun-Lees.
She told HR magazine: “To truly change culture, leadership appraisals must measure not just business results, but relational and integrity-based outcomes. Leaders should be rewarded for building trust, respect, and psychological safety, and penalised for tolerating toxicity.”
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Any response to allegations of misogyny must be systemic, which means actively equipping leaders to role-model inclusive behaviour, embedding psychological safety, and holding people to account when standards slip, added Peake.
She continued by saying that one-off training isn’t enough: “HR must lead culture change, such as clear policies on acceptable standards, robust bystander intervention training, clear whistleblowing channels and real-time monitoring and addressing of complaints, to help create safety. HR needs to intervene early, act decisively, and challenge harmful dynamics.”
Speaking to HR magazine, Geeta Nargund, chair of gender parity consultancy The Pipeline, added: “HR is not a passive function, it’s a powerful lever for cultural change. Its role in tackling misogyny, whether in a sports club or a corporate business, is a non-negotiable.
“Whether overt or subtle, HR must be clear about its zero-tolerance for gender-based discrimination at every stage of the employee lifecycle, right through from hiring to exit interviews. The ‘boys-will-be-boys’ mentality that is all too common in business and sport isn’t harmless. It mustn’t be downplayed or brushed under the rug; we simply cannot allow it to fester.”
A workplace that values dignity over silence sends a clear message: harassment and misogyny are career-ending behaviours, not inconvenient issues to be managed away, Bayntun-Lees added.