Jess Varnish demands release of Team GB data
By Peter Gilbert
Last Updated: 14/12/16 8:31pm
Jess Varnish has asked British Cycling to release all the documents related to her removal from the team and the investigation into her bullying complaint against ex-technical director Shane Sutton.
Lawyers acting on behalf of the former GB track rider have written to the governing body and requested her performance data, medical records and text messages sent by senior coaches in the GB Olympic set-up about her.
The letter cites section seven of the Data Protection Act 1998 and calls on British Cycling, as "a data controller", to release the "processed personal data of which she is subject".
Varnish's hopes of qualifying for the Rio Olympics in the team sprint were ended at the Track World Championships in London in March, partly because of selection issues earlier in the qualification period.
The 26-year-old criticised the GB coaches after this setback but her anger would escalate a month later when she was dropped from the programme, with British Cycling saying her performances had been in decline for three years.
She then claimed that Sutton told her to "go and have a baby", among other sexist remarks, which led to further allegations of bullying and derogatory language made by other riders against the team's most senior coach.
Sutton promptly resigned and two investigations were launched into the affair: one by British Cycling director Alex Russell and the other, a wider look at the squad's culture, by British Rowing chair Annamarie Phelps on behalf of the government funding agency UK Sport.
The result of Russell's report was announced in October and it said there was evidence that Sutton used "inappropriate and discriminatory language" but, earlier this month, it was revealed that only one of nine charges was upheld against the Australian. This related to his use of the word "bitches".
Neither Sutton nor Varnish are satisfied with this result and now Varnish has started legal proceedings to obtain what British Cycling has claimed are the objective criteria for releasing her, as well as the evidence Russell based her findings on.
Signed by the firm's senior partner Irwin Mitchell, the "data subject access request" concludes by saying a £10 cheque - "the maximum prescribed fee" for finding and collating the data - has been attached.
British Cycling has confirmed it has received the letter but does not wish to comment at this stage.
