Roedean and King David respond after tennis match cancellation sparks fresh debate
Both schools have now issued detailed statements following public backlash over the cancelled fixture, offering differing accounts of events and calling for resolution.
The sudden cancellation of an inter-school tennis match between Roedean School and King David Linksfield has left learners, parents and staff upset, with both schools now sharing their accounts of what unfolded.
In a statement released on February 9, King David said a meeting between the two schools helped clarify the sequence of events that led to the team arriving at Roedean on February 3, only to find no opponents waiting for them.
According to King David, Roedean’s head of school, Phuti Mogale, phoned King David’s head of school, Lorraine Srage, the previous morning, raising concerns that a group of parents were unhappy about their daughters playing against a Jewish school. King David said Srage expressed distress, and that Mogale agreed the concern was troubling.
King David said that during the call on February 2, Roedean did not mention any academic commitments, workshops, or other scheduling conflicts that might prevent the match from going ahead.
Read more: Roedean School denies antisemitism claims after cancelled tennis match with King David Linksfield
Shortly afterwards, King David received an email from Roedean’s head of sport stating that the team would forfeit the fixture due to ‘other academic commitments.’ Later that same day, King David was informed that the issue had been resolved and that the match would proceed.
On that basis, the King David team travelled to Roedean, only to discover that the players were attending geography workshops. King David said this came as a shock to both learners and staff, who had prepared for the fixture.
Following a meeting between the schools, King David said it had asked for an unequivocal apology and a commitment to future fixtures, expressing hope that the longstanding relationship between the schools could be restored.
Roedean School has strongly denied allegations of antisemitism, saying it has appointed an independent party to investigate the matter.
Roedean apologised for what it described as a breakdown in communication and said it had engaged an independent facilitator to support learners and guide constructive dialogue.
Both schools said they remain committed to resolving the issue in a way that protects the well-being of their learners and allows school sport to remain a positive, inclusive experience.
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