Wales bans rugby choirs from singing fan favourite 'Delilah' over domestic violence concerns

1 February 2023, 15:23 | Updated: 1 February 2023, 16:49

Welsh rugby bosses have told official choirs not to sing the fan-favourite song Delilah at the stadium in the upcoming Six Nations.

A news clip published earlier this week shows the Guernsey Welsh male voice choir practising the Tom Jones song Delilah, which is about a man stabbing his partner to death, ahead of the tournament, which starts on Saturday.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) was reportedly spooked by the clip and took action to block its own choirs from singing the song during the upcoming Six Nations.

It comes after allegations of sexism, racism and misogyny at the WRU in January.

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A Principality Stadium spokesperson said: “Delilah will not feature on the playlist for choirs for rugby internationals at Principality Stadium.

"The WRU removed the song from its half-time entertainment and music play list during international matches in 2015. Guest choirs have also more recently been requested not to feature the song during their pre-match performances and throughout games.

“The WRU condemns domestic violence of any kind. We have previously sought advice from subject matter experts on the issue of censoring the song and we are respectfully aware that it is problematic and upsetting to some supporters because of its subject matter.”

Calls have been made several times in recent years to outlaw the song, but Mr Jones himself previously said he thought it was not sexist.

"It's not political, it's about a man just losing it," he said in 2014.

"I love to hear it sung… it makes me very proud to be Welsh."The great thing about the song I think that everyone picks up on is the chorus, I don’t think that they are really thinking about it.

"I wasn’t thinking that I was the man that was killing the girl when I was singing the song, I was acting out the part and that’s what the song is.

"If it’s a going to be taken literally like that then I think it takes the fun out of it, I think it takes the spirit out why it’s being sung."

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The WRU also defended the use of the song at the same time.

He said: "Within rugby, Delilah has gained prominence through its musicality rather than because of its lyrics.

"There is however plenty of precedent in art and literature, prominently in Shakespearean tragedies for instance, for negative aspects of life to be portrayed."

It comes as the embattled WRU faces claims of "toxic: sexism and racism in the organisation.

Charlotte Wathan, the former head of Welsh women's rugby, said that a male colleague joked that he wanted to "rape" her.

One staff member even said they considered suicide because of the discriminatory working cultures.

"Someone referring about me in an office environment that they wanted to rape me," she told the BBC.

"Take me back to the hotel, tie me to the bed and rape me. I remember feeling sick, like a punch to the stomach. I remember standing in shock thinking, 'did I just hear that?'

"And everyone's laughing, and there was a senior member of staff there. I left the room and I burst into tears. I thought 'crikey, is this what it's come to?'"

Two other employees said that they heard the 'P' word used in a staff meeting.

Chief executive Steve Phillips resigned, with chairman Ieuan Evans pledging to launch an external investigation into the claims.