Shane Sutton's return to British Cycling now looks impossible after damaging finds from a sexism internal inquiry.
Having recently said he believed Team Sky and British Cycling would be cleared of any wrongdoing over allegations relating to the use of medical products, Shane Sutton has had an allegation of sexism against him upheld by the national federation.
The ruling, announced by British Cycling this evening, related to an allegation by former international track rider Jess Varnish.
After being dropped from the Team GB squad for the Rio Olympics, she claimed Sutton had told her to “go have a baby”.
And following an internal investigation the charge against Sutton has been upheld.
It makes his return to the fold highly unlikely despite repeatedly saying he was confident he would be back.
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"Following an internal investigation, the British Cycling board has upheld an allegation made by Jess Varnish that former technical director Shane Sutton had used inappropriate and discriminatory language," the federation’s statement said.
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"The board wishes to put on record its sincere regret that this happened.
“The findings of the investigation will help the development of the organisation alongside the independent review into the culture of the World Class Programme, jointly commissioned by British Cycling and UK Sport, and led by Annamarie Phelps.
“The findings of the internal investigation has been given to the independent review panel, which will release its findings in due course.”
Varnish (25) claimed she was dropped for criticising the Team GB set-up and refuted suggestions by Sutton she had lost her place on performance grounds.
She then said when she went to British Cycling’s track base at the Manchester Velodrome to collect her personal items after being told her contract was not being extended, she asked to see the performance data which resulted in her being let go.
And it was at that point that she alleges Sutton told her to “go and have a baby”. She also says he once made inappropriate comments about her body.
“I saw Shane and Iain (Dyer, head coach) and asked if I could have some of the information,” she said of requesting the performance data in Manchester.
“They couldn’t give it to me and said I’d been on the programme too long, that I was too old at the age of 25. Shane said that I should just move on and go and have a baby.”
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