Having become further engulfed in crisis by the day, British Cycling has moved to address the serious allegations of bullying and sexism inside its high performance structures.
In the face of damaging claims about sexism and bullying within British Cycling, the national governing body has said a review will be conducted.
The process - which the federation says will be independent - is being formed in conjunction with UK Sport.
It will involve an examination of the "the federation's performance programmes following allegations of discriminatory behaviour", according to a statement from the organisation.
The federation added it was fully committed to the principles and promotion of equality of opportunity. And because of that it said it must take the allegations seriously.
Jess Varnish has alleged British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton told her to "go away and have a baby" when she was dropped from the Olympic team.
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She also claimed disparaging remarks were made about her body shape.
Gold medal winner at the Olympics and World Championships, Victoria Pendleton echoed those sentiments saying her opinion was never valued and that female riders did not get the same respect as men.
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She also claimed the level of bullying in the organisation was suffocating, and former world champion Nicole Cooke has also joined in criticising the organisation's approach to women.
The controversy, much of which has focussed on Sutton's approach, is a nightmare for the organisation just months away from the Olympic Games.
Writing in The Guardian, Cooke said: “The team management told Varnish your performances are not good enough to make you a favourite for a medal anyway, with the implication public money should not be spent on giving her a holiday.
"Strangely, the men in charge never seem to see it this way when it comes to the men’s team.
"In 2008 when I won Olympic gold in Beijing, the day before, in the men’s road race, every single one of the four men riding for Team GB failed to finish.
"In 2006, Welsh Cycling sent me to defend my Commonwealth Games road race title as a team of one while fielding a full team of six male road riders. None of the six finished.”
British Cycling statement in full
British Cycling is announcing the formation of an independent review, in conjunction with UK Sport, of the federation's performance programmes following allegations of discriminatory behaviour.
We are fully committed to the principles and active promotion of equality of opportunity and we must take any such allegations seriously.
The terms of the review will be announced in due course and no further comment will be made at this stage.
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