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Olympic Champion and Five Cambridge Rowers Barred from 2025 Boat Race Over Eligibility Rules

The 12-year eligibility rule introduced in 2021 has sidelined six Cambridge athletes, reigniting debates about fairness and the Boat Race’s amateur ethos.

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Rowers should be studying for a “degree-level qualification”, a rule that has disqualified three Postgraduate Certificate in Education students
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The rules were changed after James Cracknell, second from right, helped Cambridge win the Boat Race in 2019 at the age of 46

Overview

  • Tom Ford, Olympic gold medalist and Cambridge postgraduate, has been ruled ineligible for the 2025 Boat Race under a rule barring athletes more than 12 years after starting their undergraduate degrees.
  • Five additional Cambridge rowers, including three postgraduate teacher trainees and two team presidents, have also been deemed ineligible under the same regulation.
  • The eligibility rule, introduced in 2021, was designed to address concerns about elite athletes competing, following James Cracknell’s participation in 2019.
  • Cambridge has reportedly sought legal advice, alleging the rule may be discriminatory and disproportionately impacts their athletes compared to Oxford’s.
  • The Boat Race Company has expressed sympathy for the affected athletes but emphasized the importance of adhering to the agreed eligibility rules.