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Scottish Rugby sacks Chief Executive Alex Williamson after inquiry
Published 16:21 30 Jul 2026 BST
Updated 17:23 30 Jul 2026 BST
Homesport
The dismissal was confirmed today
Scottish Rugby has sacked chief executive Alex Williamson with immediate effect, following the conclusion of an independent investigation into his conduct at Murrayfield. The governing body confirmed the dismissal on Thursday July 30, ending an 18-month tenure that had been in limbo since late May, when Williamson was placed on extended leave with no explanation given.
Williamson only began work at Murrayfield in early 2025, appointed as Mark Dodson's successor in September 2024 after the union failed in its pursuit of Mark Darbon, who instead took the top job at the R&A in St Andrews. His removal, first reported by BBC Scotland, caps a bruising period for the sport and hands interim control to current chief financial officer David White while a fresh recruitment search begins.
What Scottish Rugby said
"The board of Scottish Rugby has today dismissed Alex Williamson from his position as chief executive with immediate effect. In light of the investigation findings, the board concluded that the CEO's conduct had fallen significantly below the standards we set as an organisation."
John McGuigan, chairman of Scottish Rugby Limited
The timing is awkward. The next 14 months bring Nations Championship fixtures at Murrayfield, including a meeting with the All Blacks, before the Six Nations in the spring and a World Cup in Australia in the autumn of 2027 — a stretch that will test Scotland at the World Cup under interim leadership.
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