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news
Jess Varnish celebrates a gold medal and world record (© Dene Percy)Jess Varnish says British Cycling Board should resign
Jess Varnish believes that the entire British Cycling board should resign following the leak of a draft version of the independent review into the organisation. The report asks whether the organisation’s leadership is “fit to govern,” and makes reference to staff bullying and a “culture of fear.”
Varnish was dropped from the Olympic programme last April and alleged that Shane Sutton had told her to ‘go and have a baby’ when informing her of this.
Further allegations followed but in December a British Cycling investigation cleared Sutton on eight out of nine charges of discriminatory conduct and bullying.
Varnish made a formal request to see the report and her lawyer Simon Fenton commented: “Some of the stuff they are giving us is so heavily redacted I don’t know what is going on. It looks like they were coming to a finding which suited British Cycling rather than coming to a decision based on all the information. I didn’t see any evidence of backing up or justifying the conclusions they came to.”
The independent review is said to have found that British Cycling’s board “reversed” some of the findings of the internal investigation, which was carried out by its grievance officer, and “sanitised” the subsequent report.
The termination of Varnish’s funding on the Olympic programme is described as an “act of retaliation” for her saying that poor management decisions had been the reason behind Great Britain failing to qualify a women’s track sprint team for the Rio Olympics.
The report also says that weak leadership allowed Sir Dave Brailsford and Sutton to work without supervision as British Cycling chiefs, creating a "dysfunctional structure".
Referring to British Cycling’s internal report, Varnish told the BBC:
"I had absolutely no faith in the investigation from the get go. Now there needs to be changes. These people can't be still in there if they've reversed facts. They can't still be able to be on that board.
"I think the facts say it for themselves. If they're overturning facts just to protect themselves and to protect the look of British Cycling. It's a lot easier for them to throw me under the bus rather than the whole of British Cycling and for the actual truth to come out."
She added that she may yet take legal action if the final report, due next month, indicates that British Cycling failed in the way it investigated her case.
Double Olympic silver medallist Becky James, however, backed the organisation, saying that she has had “an amazing experience with British Cycling.”
Speaking to the BBC, James said:
"I didn't work very closely with Dave but I work closely with Shane. He was the one that supported me through my injuries, he was the one that believed in me getting to Rio. He pushed me through my training and believed in me.
"He told me if I trained hard and knuckled down that I could get to Rio and I did and I won silver medals. I've always had support from British Cycling."
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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19 comments
Wow, it seems that the bullying behaviour is spreading.
I too enjoy cycling, but am far less engaged in the women's scene than the mens. I watched both men's and women's TOB stage finishes last year and was still much more engaged with the mens event having passed Kristian House on training rides (I mean been passed by KH) and having watched Stannard boss the front on the TDF. I wouldn't necessarily turn off the TV for a women's race but I may not rush home for one either.
As for Keirik's first response - is Boardman still good enough? I mean your response suggests that because she has these things she should be an automatic selection forever.
I know more about Jess now than when she was cycling - maybe she wants to go on the Jump or be Katie Hopkins (or maybe Piers Morgan just so as not to be accused of sexism)...
That is one hell of an extrapolation of what I actually said.
Unlike Chris, Jess was still on the elite squad, providing better figures than when she did win Gold and yet after criticising a management cock up she was unceremonmiously dumped, with BC refusing to share tjhe numbers they'd used to make the decision.
All athletes come to the end of their competitive life ( I should know, both my sisters were olympians), but rarely does it happen so suddenly, so it happening so soon after her criticism it smacks of revenge
While SingleSpeed is perhaps a little harsh, I agree with the basic point. I don't think it is possible to differentiate between male and female track cycling, one is as good as the other. If winning results are what motivate you, then the women's teams are probably better.
Road cycling is a bit different because the cycling institutions, both BC and the UCI have their heads firmly lodged up their backsides. They repeatedly refuse women the opportunity to race on equivalent circuits and don't switch on the bloody cameras where they are racing the same circuit.
I like watching highly skilled competitive racing, the institutional sexism both within the UCI and BC is depriving us of some great racing and, by reducing media coverage, is keeping sponsors out of women's road racing. What happened to Jess Varnish is indicative of a much deeper malaise.
Meanwhile, UK Sport who only provides funding for success, throws the baby out with the bathwater
Perhaps she was simply not good enough.
I don't really follow women's cycling so I have no knowledge of how good or not she was / is.
It doesn't forgive any sexism or bullying though regardless as to whether they are male or female cyclists.
world records, gold medals, not good enough
yep I'm sure she wasnt good enough and was dropped for perfectly reasonable performance reasons and not at all because she criticised the management for fucking up the olympic qualification process
meanwhile in the real world...
As I said I don't follow women's cycling so there's no need to be sarcastic. I'm pretty sure you know nowt about other subjects.
Then perhaps you should read the article first, before commenting?
As I said I don't follow women's cycling so there's no need to be sarcastic. I'm pretty sure you know nowt about other subjects.[/quote]
You sir are a moron.
What do you do when you watch the Track cycling, 'shit pass me the remote quick, better turn the TV off, bloody women on bikes don't they know I don't watch womens cycling'.
Heaven forfend that you watch some of the most exciting races you might see just because they have a vagina. It's quite clear you know nothing about cycling in general not simply "women's cycling".
So yeah, it's attitudes like your that require a complete change of the BC system and the sport in general.
Still waiting to read Shane Sutton's account of what happened during his time at British Cycling in his autobiography "My Story: The Unvarnished Truth".
Isn't is ironic that BC helped develop Varnish's hard work ethic and drive for success, and now she's using all that drive against them because they dropped her in an unprofessional manner for no reason other than her speaking up.
No, not even remotely. Convoluted nonsense.
For decades BC was worthless with no direction and mainly ignored by UK cyclists working in Europe, we then get organised and start winning and though without problems which need addressing we and the media bring BC down. No doubt when we go back to winning nothing, the funding is gone again the naysayers will return moaning again.
Typical false dichotemy being offered up by apologists.
I believe that the board should all resign, British cycling should lose all sport England funding, and Team sky should be wound down.
That would provide the majority of British cyclists and general public with exactly what they want.
We could then build an unsuccessful Olympic programme, based not on elite performance, but on participation and warm fuzzy feelings.
We'd all be happy then right?
Perhaps Tim Henman could head up the new look British Cycling.
Don't be ridiculous.
It would be much better to stick with the good old ways which succesfully blended sexism, psychological abuse and average performance. Professional sports are a beautiful thing, whether it's sheilas being told when it's time to get back to the kitchen, swimming coaches sexually abusing their young charges or Olympic Committee negotiators getting the best deals on hookers and blow.
So, no, I reject your intemperate politically correct demands. If only Donald Trump were in charge then your lot wouldn't get a look in.
Perhaps a rather chaotic and informal style of management has been one of the elements that helps explain the success of British track cyclists over the past decade or so.
By "chaotic and informal" you mean "jiffy bags flying all over the place but we dont know whats in them guv'na"?