Oxford University branded ‘slimy’ and ‘desperate’ amid Boat Race eligibility row

Controversy has broken out ahead of this year’s Boat Race between Oxford University and Cambridge University over the eligibility of certain students which has been labelled “a desperate ploy … to gain an upper hand in the most slimy way”.

The Boat Race is a rowing event which takes place every year between students from two of the UK’s elite universities over a 4.25-mile stretch of the River Thames in west London.

The Boat Race Company, which organises the event, estimates that more than 200,000 people gather on the bank of the river to watch the men’s and women’s races, with millions watching on TV. Cambridge has won five of the last six men’s races and each of the last seven women’s races.

The row over this year’s event, which takes place on Sunday, April 13, stems from the banning of students undertaking a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course — combining academic study of teaching with practical experience — from being able to compete. Such students had previously been permitted to participate.

Cambridge’s Matt Heywood, who won a silver medal for the Team GB men’s quad at the 2022 World Championship, is studying PGCE Secondary History and confirmed on his Instagram that he and two other students had been prevented from participating…