Skip to main content
Government urged to get tough over Covid loan repayments from sports clubs
London Irish's Chunya Munga wins a line out ball during the Premiership match at the Brentford Community Stadium, London, March 27, 2021

THE government must take a tough approach to clawing back taxpayers’ money loaned to rugby union teams and other sports clubs during the Covid-19 pandemic, a select committee report has said.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) loaned £474 million in total to 120 organisations in the sport and culture sectors to help them survive the impact of the pandemic, with £123.8m of that loaned to Premiership Rugby clubs.

DCMS admitted in a National Audit Office report issued last December that it did not expect to recover up to £29m of the £41.6m it had loaned to three Premiership clubs – London Irish, Wasps and Worcester – after they became insolvent.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
The crowd at Manchester Punk Festival 2024
Culture / 11 April 2025
11 April 2025
Ben Cowles speaks with IAN ‘TREE’ ROBINSON and ANDY DAVIES, two of the string pullers behind the Manchester Punk Festival, ahead of its 10th year show later this month
SETTING AN EXAMPLE: Watford’s and Norwich City players tak
Features / 13 March 2025
13 March 2025
Ben Cowles previews his interview with Stand Up to Racism’s SABBY DHALU for the Morning Star’s new Youtube channel
Similar stories
Newcastle Falcons react after the second try during the Prem
Men's Rugby Union / 18 March 2025
18 March 2025
Afghanistan players celebrate taking the wicket of Pakistan'
Men’s cricket / 8 January 2025
8 January 2025
Afghan female Olympian calls for support on women’s right to play sports
The Bank of England
Britain / 19 September 2024
19 September 2024