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Jess Varnish and Becky James, Cali 2014 (copyright Britishcycling.org.uk)British Cycling sexism row: Varnish says others are staying quiet due to a ‘culture of fear’ but Cooke, Pendleton and Armitstead have their say
Jess Varnish says she has supporters at British Cycling who are afraid to come forward due to a ‘culture of fear’ as the aftershocks of her sexism allegations against the organisation continue to reverberate. Former Olympic champions Nicole Cooke and Victoria Pendleton have been among those to express their support for her, while Joanna Rowsell Shand has been one rider to speak in defence of British Cycling.
Writing on her website, Varnish says that despite the decision not to renew her contract, she had thought the door was still open to her at British Cycling until she read Shane Sutton’s recent interview with The Telegraph.
“It was at this point that I realised my career with British Cycling, in Shane Sutton’s eyes, was over, and that I would never get a fair trial or opportunity to compete for Great Britain again while Shane is the performance director. There was no longer any point in staying quiet. He told everyone that my Rio 2016 dream was over before telling me.”
Varnish says she stands by her claim that Sutton told her ‘to go and have a baby’ and says she has been contacted by several other riders who have had similar experiences at British Cycling.
“I am aware that some people at British cycling are afraid to come forward due to the culture of fear that exists, as they don’t want to lose their jobs. I am not alone in my experience and I’m glad that a few feel more confident to speak up as a result of my interview.”
Writing in The Guardian regarding Varnish’s claims, former world and Olympic champion, Nicole Cooke, has said that elite cycling was ‘sexist by design.’
“On the track, Jess competed with Victoria Pendleton at London 2012 in the team sprint. For the men, the team sprint is 750m and a team comprises three riders. For the women it is 500m and a team comprises two riders. Jess also competes in the 500m time trial, the event Jason Queally famously won at Sydney in 2000. Only, of course, for the men it is 1,000m. The world governing body has set the tone – women are second-class citizens. It runs all the way up to events like the Tour de France.”
Cooke also takes issue with the implication that public money should not be spent on Varnish on the grounds that she is not a favourite for a medal in Rio.
“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.”
In contrast, Olympic team pursuit gold medallist Joanna Rowsell Shand has defended British Cycling. She says that the women’s and men’s endurance squads are treated equally.
“I was surprised by the comments. I’ve always thought as a track rider it’s very equal. Compared to the men’s team pursuit squad, we definitely get equal treatment.”
She did however say that she’d never had much individual contact with Sutton. “He’s always been there for competitions, shouting orders at people, and he’s always been part of the management of a wider team – and good management is really important.”
Jess Varnish 'still training for Rio Olympics' as "go and have a baby' row rumbles on
Another Olympic gold medallist, Victoria Pendleton, says she “wholeheartedly believes” Varnish’s claims of sexism and bullying. Speaking to The Telegraph, she said: “I would not be able to live with myself if I sat back and let people try to discredit her character. Not when I wholeheartedly believe her. My experiences were very similar. And I know exactly how miserable they made me.”
Pendleton is quick to emphasise that she is only speaking about a small number of individuals: “Don’t get me wrong, there are some fantastic people who work at British Cycling who kept me together; who were there when I was struggling with it all. They were walking the same tightrope in many ways, because if you do speak up your days are numbered.”
Nevertheless, she seems unimpressed by the structure of the organisation as a whole: “You have to wonder why there isn’t a single woman in a position of leadership in the organisation.”
World road race champion Lizzie Armitstead said Varnish was right to speak out, but was understandably reluctant to take sides. She told The Guardian: “Any athlete in her position has the right to say what she said. She’s worked so hard to be in the position she’s in and to have that taken away from her, if she feels that it’s unjust, then she should speak out about it.”
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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32 comments
BC, you have lead a revolution in cycling for everyone. Don't let us down. Sexist behaviour belongs in the past. We have moved on. Sort it!
If today is anything like yesterday those "others" will be a very small group shortly
Interesting article on velo uk.
Is Cobber Sutton's coaching career coming to an end ? Or do we want results that badly that'll we'll put up with results by-any-means necessary ?
Given that it seems possible Rio will be the least successful recent games for BC (looking at recent results), maybe, even if he survives the suspension/investigation, he'll be on his way out.
Whilst I agree SOME elite athletes need tough love, it's not going to be the same for all of them and surely as the primary coach he should know the difference and behave accordingly. That said, given the allegations of slurs against para-cyclists, maybe his mindset is totally different
Given that Sutton has been suspended from BC for it would seem more than his sexist comments there is more substance to Jess's side of the story. I did read he wasn't very PC when referring to some of the para-cyclists.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/36147120
Sutton is a dinosaur and promoted beyond his level of competence. Sounds like the problem extends much further though.
I'm baffled why the womens team does not have a woman coach and coaching team? End of story. Look at football now - mostly women coaches.
In house review announced in conjunction with UK Sport. Note: in-house, and a review, not an inquiry. Not enough.
Consistent comments from Pendleton and Cooke, both of whom have been on the receiving end of bullying and harrassment by BC staff.
Jess has now put a statement on her website: http://www.jessicavarnish.com/news/1761/statement-from-jess-varnish
It's pretty awful stuff. If I worked for BC I would be genuinely ashamed to be associated with that kind of behaviour. Am inclined to agree with kil0ran about investigating this being in public interest.
Very serious allegations about the culture of fear as targeting whistleblowers is against the law.
Whilst whistleblowing doesn't usually cover bullying or harrassment it does if it is in the public interest. Given BC is a public body funded by public donations I would say the allegations meet the public interest test.
I urge all of you who haven't already to read Nicole's book. While she admits things have improved it appears that there is still a long way to go.
Just read the following article. Something is seriously rotten at BC:
http://singletrackworld.com/columns/2016/04/pro-xc-racer-jenny-copnall-s...
Why on earth are national champions ever prevented from competing at the world championships? Let alone when there are places available, let alone when they have to be entered to meet UCI rules, but are then forced to withdraw as sick when they aren't?
Funding. Simple as. BC get a limited amount which they can allocate. Supporting a rider at a WC is not like buying them an airfare and extra baggage for their bike. They would need to take a crew to give the rider support, they simply cannot tell her to go with her dad and his mate Bob who is good with a spanner as they needed to be accredited members of BC to represent them at these events - then you have the issue of providing kit (incl. bike). It all stacks up.
BC no doubt make a calculation based upon a) the expectation of the competitor medalling (because this will lead to more funding), b) the added take up (memberships) to the sport.
If she went and got enough sponsorship I'm sure they wouldn't stop her from going. But unfortunately the world is not a bottomless pit of money.
my expectation is that new membership numbers will be significantly reduced as these stories gain traction...
except as jenny copnall details, even self funded athletes have been blocked, so money is not the issue. Control seems to be the problem.
You beat me to it. Note that I didn't say "not fund", I said "prevent from competing." (although why the national champion doesnt get funded is also a valid question).
I think that the comment about funding must have been made without reading the linked article.
The lack of transparency on selection criteria following Jenny Copnall's succesful challenge suggests control freakery to me.
She has been blocked from self-funding. So have Tre White and Quillan Isidore in BMX. Yes it's true that BC's funding has limits but that isn't why these riders are being prevented from going.
Actually the same thing is happening in BMX. Tre White and Quillan Isidore are being prevented from riding in the worlds, with the UK males represetented by just two riders.
The problems within BC are serious and sexism or attitudes to the paralympians are definitely a part of it, but there are other issues there as well.
Would a male rider with similar results receive the same treatment? Compare Matt Crampton's results with Jess's.
Moving away from the "He said/She said" issue for a moment - does Jess still actually have a shot at a Rio place, now that she's no longer in the BC project?
If performance is all that matters, is there any arena or competition that would show her to be a better medal prospect than Katy Marchant or Becky James?
Heartening to see other athletes from the top of the sport being brave enough to back her up.
She didn't make the cut and in understandably bitter. she should have been told better, but needs to take it on the chin like a man.......
(incomming!)
Ha ha. Imagine your female boss wants to make you redundant. She softens the blow by telling you that you have a fat arse and should go off and father some kids instead? What??!! No offence mate! You blokes get all weepy when us women tell you it like it is..
'incoming' btw. You can't even spell you daft bloke. What's the matter? Time of the month?
If even his apparent supporter says that Sutton is good at shouting orders at people, and sees this as a positive, BC has a real problem.
Yes, read the Pendleton article, very good.
This is the article to read by Cooke, not the one above: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/apr/25/nicole-cooke-cycling-sexism...
This is all very dire - Sutton's comment about good use of Lottery money could come back round and bite him in his skinny arse.
Coach berates male athlete... Stern, strong, no nonsense leadership.
Coach berates female athlete... Sexism.
There is a difference between berating and belittling. I can't imagine Sutton speaking to Nicole Cooke as he did to Pendleton and Varnish. Cooke would've give the silly old fool a 'strong, no nonsense' black eye.
The documentary on Pendleton was more revealing of Sutton's weaknesses than Pendleton's. Sutton was revealed to be a brusque (aka rude) old school ( aka sexist) Aussie ( ie: UK circa 1950) living on his own above a bike shop. An intimidating and eccentric loner who's behaviour is left unchallenged by colleagues and the organisation he works for.... As it happens.
Hopefully he'll be let go after Rio and they will start addressing the lack of women at higher level in BC.
Get Pendleton off the Gee Gees and give her a job as coach of the women's team.
FTFY.
You clearly don't understand any of this.
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