Why are Tom Ford and Cambridge rowers barred from The Boat Race?
All the details on why Tom Ford and the other Cambridge rowers were barred from The Boat Race 2025.
In The Boat Race's 196-year history, there has been plenty of controversy – and 2025 is no different.
A list that comprises sinkings, crashes, mutinies, and the 1877 dead heat can now be extended to include the barring of Olympic gold medallist Tom Ford and Cambridge's 'PCGE three'.
Indeed, the already frosty relationship between the two historic universities has soured further in the build-up to Sunday's event, which will be the 79th time the women's teams have raced and the 170th meeting of the men.
Oxford are looking to put an end to Cambridge's recent supremacy, having lost five of the last six men's races and seven in a row in the women's event.
When the Blue Boats take to the Thames in South West London on Sunday – BBC One coverage starts at 12:20pm, with the women's race scheduled for 1:21pm and the men's for 2:21pm – both of Cambridge's crews, donned in their signature duck egg light blue, will be missing members.
In March, Ford was named as one of four rowers barred from The Boat Race 2025, alongside Matt Heywood, Molly Foxell and Kate Cowley.
RadioTimes.com brings you all the details about The Boat Race barrings.
Read more: Best football players in the world | Best football players of all time
Why are the Cambridge rowers barred from The Boat Race?
The issue first reared its head in March when the two universities exchanged the names of their crews.
Oxford objected to the inclusion of Matt Heywood on the Cambridge men's team, as well as Molly Foxell and Kate Cowley on the women's team, and argued that as they were studying for a PGCE, they were ineligible to race.
Their suggestion was that the post-graduation teacher training course was a certificate rather than a degree, which went against the agreed eligibility rules.
Those rules state that "all participants must be full-time students (in residence for the whole academic year) studying on a course which requires compulsory matriculation and leads to an Oxford or Cambridge degree-level qualification".
The objection was disputed by Cambridge, who suggested that Oxford had not raised the same issue when it would have been relevant in previous years, but an interpretation panel ruled with the latter, leaving the so-called 'PGCE three' unable to take part.
Olympic gold medallist Tom Ford has been barred under different terms.
The 32-year-old, who won gold at Paris 2024 to add to his bronze at Tokyo 2020 and a host of other World and European championship medals, is currently studying an MBA at Cambridge and has trained with the men's team ahead of The Boat Race.
However, as he started his undergraduate degree at Newcastle University more than 12 years ago, he too is intelligible.
That rule was introduced in 2019 after two-time Olympic champion James Cracknell came out of retirement at the age of 46 to help Cambridge win The Boat Race.
If you're looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide, or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
