The new head of BBC Sport, Mark Hughes, has reportedly led staff to approach Human Resources on four separate occasions within the last three months, citing concerns about his confrontational management style.
Hughes is also facing accusations of having a “slight lacking in sports knowledge.”
He commenced his role in March, having previously served as the head of news at the Daily Telegraph.
These concerns raised with HR emerge following earlier claims of a toxic and bullying environment within the BBC Breakfast show.
According to a source: “Mark is a highly capable journalist and is well-liked by many of his colleagues.”
“He has a low tolerance for incompetence and is quite assertive in his approach.”
“While his intention is to maximise staff performance, some individuals have found his methods intimidating and have consequently registered their concerns.”
“HR is aware of the situation, and discussions have been held with the individuals involved, though no formal complaints have been officially filed.”
“Staff members, while acknowledging Mark`s extensive knowledge of football, have cast doubt on his understanding of other sports disciplines.”
“Examples of perceived missteps include his handling of the announcement regarding rugby player Danny Care`s club retirement, which occurred a year after his international retirement, and his apparent belief that the British and Irish Lions rugby team plays both home and away fixtures.”
Conversely, another source inside the organisation indicated: “Mark is genuinely making a positive impact on the volume and significance of exclusive news stories that BBC Sport is breaking.”
The BBC provided a brief statement saying: “We maintain robust procedures for addressing any issues related to the workplace.”
