Victoria Pendleton and Nicole Cooke back Jess Varnish's sexism claims
By Charlotte Bates
Last Updated: 29/04/16 11:46am
Olympic champions Victoria Pendleton and Nicole Cooke have come out in support of Jess Varnish in her sexism row with British Cycling.
Varnish alleges she was subject to sexist comments by British cycling coach Shane Sutton. The 25-year-old made the claims after she was controversially axed from the Great Britain team, telling the Daily Mail that British Cycling technical director Sutton had told her to "go off and have a baby"
She also suggests that she had been subjected to a "long list" of comments about her figure.
However, Sutton has denied the claims and British Cycling maintains Varnish's removal from the programme was on performance grounds.
Pendleton, who competed with Varnish at the 2012 London Olympics, said she "wholeheartedly believes" her claims of sexism and bullying at British Cycling.
The double Olympic champion admitted that she had never spoken out before, but told the Daily Telegraph: "I have to do it now.
"I would not be able to live with myself if I sat back and let people try to discredit (Varnish's) character. Not when I wholeheartedly believe her.
"My experiences were very similar. And I know exactly how miserable they made me.
"I never really felt I had the same respect as my male team-mates. My opinion wasn't worth as much. I used to sit quietly in meetings and not say anything as I knew my opinions would be disregarded. And that's after I had become Olympic champion and multiple world champion.
"You have to wonder why there isn't a single woman in a position of leadership in the organisation."
Nicole Cooke, who won gold in the women's road race at the Beijing Games in 2008 admits she too experienced similar behaviour.
"I have my own personal experiences of Shane and sympathise with Jess," she said.
"She was in the position so many have found themselves: speak out and your dreams will be destroyed and years of hard work wasted. Or put up with it and hope."
A British Cycling spokesperson responded: "A gold medal is valued by us, no matter who wins it and we are equally proud of all our Olympic and world champions.
"The medals won by the Great Britain Cycling Team are testament firstly to the dedication and talent of our riders but each of them are also a tribute to a significant investment in passion, commitment and resources by our performance staff."
