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news
Jonathan-Browning (c) British Cycling.jpegUK Sport reportedly refuses to stand behind new British Cycling chairman
UK Sport is thought to consider the the position of British Cycling’s new chairman, Jonathan Browning, untenable, following the revelation that an independent review found that the board ‘reversed’ findings of an internal investigation into allegations of discrimination.
The 57-year-old replaced Bob Howden as the chairman last month, but was not much of a new broom, given that he has been a nonexecutive director on British Cycling’s board since April 2014.
Yesterday we reported how 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.
Last week a draft review produced by Annamarie Phelps criticised an internal investigation into the dismissal.
“The actions of the British Cycling board in that regard are shocking and inexcusable,” it said. “They also call into serious question whether the composition of the British Cycling board is fit to govern a national sporting body.”
When the Guardian asked UK Sport, the funding body for British Cycling,whether it still backed Browning, a spokesperson replied: “Unfortunately we can’t comment given the report hasn’t been published yet. In the meantime we are working to address issues that have been raised by the review and will comment on them fully once the report is published.”
The pressure on British Cycling is now intensifying, as it becomes clearer that it faces cuts to its £26million public funding, intended to win medals at the Tokyo Olympics, without a major governance overhaul.
It is also thought likely that the organisation’s major sponsor, HSBC, could reconsider its involvement.
Latest Comments
- David9694 1 hour 12 min ago
Theres not one scrap of self-help among drivers is there, it's always someone else's issue.
- Simon E 2 hours 56 sec ago
Oh dear. A single bike in a single size in one shop is not indicative of the entire UK market for bicycles. And the slump isn't just bikes, it's...
- hawkinspeter 4 hours 53 min ago
Ridiculed or is it just jealousy?
- Rendel Harris 5 hours 19 min ago
Thank goodness for that. I don't suppose anyone would want you to. You certainly behave like one though.
- Eton Rifle 5 hours 26 min ago
You do see some utterly ridiculous examples of car use....
- Eton Rifle 5 hours 49 min ago
Exactly. Every road death is a tragedy but this is at the "twat deserved it" end of the spectrum, looking at the state of that car.
- Rendel Harris 5 hours 56 min ago
I'm not the editor of this article, nor indeed of anything on this website. One would have thought that didn't require explaining.
- Eton Rifle 5 hours 57 min ago
I think the answer is in your question. I genuinely didn't know he was married to her. It does kinda explain it. Disappointing, nevertheless.
- Daclu Trelub 10 hours 42 min ago
In a perfect world, we'd have a measure of how easily distracted someone is, as part of their driving test....
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14 comments
Of course, anyone who has ever worked with women in a the context of performance related sports will know that having a baby so alters a women's physiology which in many cases can provide a significant boost in sporting performance.
Unfortunately the increase in cardiac output, VC, red cell mass, oxygen transfer & delivery, renal function, etc are only temporary and quickly revert to pre-pregnancy states after delivery.
How do I know? I'm a Consultant Anaesthetist with a subspecialty interest in obstetric anaesthesia.
Good to know we have professionals on the forum, thanks for sharing.
The names Paula Radcliffe and Liz McColgan spring to mind, amongst others.
Paul Radcliffe returned to running just 12 days after giving birth and then won the NY Marathon not soon after. So while the 'effects' of pregnancy may have worn off by the time of her winning the NY Marathon, if she was back in training just 12 days after giving birth it is possible that the process of pregnancy may have had a positive impact on her training regime, allowing her to train harder/longer/more productively.
Lots of women, and especially the older ones at the tail end of their sporting careers, speak positively of the effects of pregancy on sporting performance. The science is imprecise, and there is also the psychological impact.
And Mr/Mrs Consultant Anaesthetist with an interest in obstetric anaesthesia ... if it takes of the order of six weeks for a woman's body to return to the pre-pregnancy state, there is easily the possibility of some intensive training.
Seems your argument is also 'imprecise'.
Paula Radcliffe: first baby aged 33, by far most achievements came pre-baby*
McColgan: first baby aged 26, carried on peaking and major achievements came after that.
Given endurance runner peak age, I think it's a leap to suggest an advantage from childbirth. All the evidence here suggests to me is that you maybe listen a bit too closely to commentators who have 2 1/4 hours to fill with opinion and conjecture.
Besides, what is your wider point - that Shane Sutton was actually giving Varnish some profound sporting advice?
* This isn't even close: World record 2x; World champs gold; World cross country champs 2x; World half marathon champs 3x; Euro champs gold; Euro cross country champs 3x; Euro cup gold x3; Commonwealth games gold; NY marathon; London marathon x3
Post-nipper: NY marathon x2.
maybe he thought she'd do well in the milk race?
...I'll get my coat...
What has all that got to do with this news article?
In this fact-riddled age we need proof. You can deliver it in a jiffy bag if you want
"You haz just won the internet"
Looks like British Cycling has been thrown under the PC Bus
Coming to a sport near you in the near future
Snowflakes and the self entitled only need apply
'Snowflakes'
Default response for the passive-aggresive, overcompensating bellends that would be the first to cry foul when treated with anything other than kid gloves.
Ironic that it's phrase stolen from basement dwelling, socially excluded, emotional teenagers. Add 'safe space' next time for full effect.
They covered up the results of an independent review that found them wanting. Nothing to do with a 'PC bus' or other Piers Morgan buzzwords.
Be interesting to see how you'd respond to an appraisal where you found you hadn't cut the mustard, but couldn't get hold of the 'proof', and were then told you just need to move on and might as well go and have a baby.
My money would be on you melting quickly and miserably like a very delicate white thing in the sun.
Fair dos that's quality satire
It was satire wasn't it?