Olympic gold medallist Ruta Meilutytė has revealed the damaging effects of a harsh training regime under renowned coach Jon Rudd at the prestigious Plymouth Leander swim club. Meilutytė, who became the youngest winner of the 100m breaststroke at the London 2012 Olympics, described the environment as toxic, citing relentless focus on weight and diet that contributed to her developing an eating disorder and depression. She recalled Rudd making cutting remarks about her body, including calling her "fat" before major competitions, and laughing off her struggles with bulimia, which left her feeling "broken" despite her early success.

Meilutytė is not alone in her allegations. Twelve former swimmers have come forward, describing a culture of bullying, excessive control over food, and emotional abuse during Rudd’s 28-year tenure at the club. Among them, Olympic bronze medallist Cassie Patten claimed she was forced to train through injury, which ended her career, while Commonwealth Youth gold medallist Phoebe Lenderyou said Rudd’s methods aggravated her own eating disorder. Despite a 2012 investigation by Swim England recommending Rudd’s suspension based on testimony from 17 witnesses, no action was taken, and the findings remained confidential until a BBC tip-off in 2023.

The club, which attracted elite swimmers from around the world, saw Rudd’s career flourish even as complaints mounted. He became Swim Ireland’s director of performance swimming in 2017 and is set to lead Saudi Arabia’s Olympic swimming team. Meanwhile, the BBC’s investigation uncovered further failures in safeguarding, including the hiring of Rudd’s assistant coach Lindsay Trimmings by Swim England despite recommendations for her suspension. The governing body’s new chief executive, Andy Salmon, has apologized for these failures and announced a review of 1,500 safeguarding cases from the past two decades.

The toxic culture extended beyond Rudd’s regime. Swimmers reported being forced to choose between their education and training, with one 17-year-old, Abby, describing panic attacks and academic decline after being denied time off for exams. The club’s former welfare officer claimed Swim England ignored concerns raised by parents. Despite these revelations, Rudd has not responded to the allegations, and the club has faced further scrutiny following the conviction of former swimmer Antony James for serious offenses committed during his time at Plymouth Leander.