British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton has been the man in the eye of the sexism and bullying storm since it began and now he has been suspended.
Having announced last night it was undertaking an independent review into the recent allegations of sexism and bullying in British Cycling, the governing body has now announced its technical director Shane Sutton has been suspended.
The new turn of events has emerged after a new newspaper report was published containing fresh claims about the Australian coach of the British team.
The Daily Mail, which has made most of the running with the sexism and bullying story, has now reported claims that Sutton referred to paracyclists as "gimps" and "wobblies".
Sutton has denied all of the allegations made against him.
One of Britain’s top paracyclists Darren Kenny - who has won six Paralympic gold medals - is quoted in a new report by the Daily Mail as saying he heard members of the Team GB paracycling line-up referred to in very derogatory terms by Sutton.
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“The attitude towards them was abysmal,” Kenny told the newspaper.
“We were tolerated at best. The term used to refer to us was generally “gimps”, with another word in front of that.
“I know others had an issue as well with not being allowed on the track and not being given time to prepare for competitions.”
A source who was not named claimed Sutton would also refer to paracyclists as wobblies.
The updated section of the British Cycling statement reads:
"Following the announcement of an independent review into British Cycling’s performance programmes, we are also announcing technical director Shane Sutton has been suspended pending an internal investigation into the allegations of discrimination that have been reported in the press."
The situation before the fresh claims
Last night British Cycling said a review would be conducted into the claims, though the new allegations about paracyclists had not emerged at that time and there was no mention of Sutton being suspended.
The process – which the federation said would be independent – is being formed in conjunction with UK Sport.
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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.
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.
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.
Update
Following the announcement of an independent review into British Cycling’s performance programmes, we are also announcing technical director Shane Sutton has been suspended pending an internal investigation into the allegations of discrimination that have been reported in the press.
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