Shane Sutton: British Cycling technical director suspended after allegedly calling Paralympic cyclists 'gimps'

British Cycling has launched an independent review into its performance programme and has suspended technical director Sutton

British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton (Getty)

British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton has been suspended after further allegations of discriminatory behaviour were made against the Australian, including him calling Paralympic cyclists “gimps”.

British Cycling has launched an independent review of its performance programmes alongside UK Sport, which came as a result of the allegations of sexual discrimination from track cyclist Jess Varnish after she was cut from the governing body’s podium programme.

25-year-old Varnish alleges that Sutton told her she was “too old” to compete and that she should “move on and go and have a baby”. Sutton released a statement to deny those allegations, although Varnish received support from her former team-mates and Olympic champions Victoria Pendleton and Nicole Cooke.

British Cycling initially released a statement to confirm the review, which read: "British Cycling is announcing the formation of an independent review, in conjunction with UK Sport, of the federation's performance programmes following allegations of discriminatory behaviour.

"We are fully committed to the principles and active promotion of equality of opportunity and we must take any such allegations seriously."

However, a report in the Daily Mail claimed that Sutton had used the derogatory term “gimps” to describe Paralympic cyclists, with ten-time Paralympic medallist Darren Kenny saying: "The attitude towards them [Paralympic cyclists] was abysmal. We were tolerated at best. The term used to refer to us was generally "gimps", with another word in front of that."

Varnish was dropped by British Cycling after failing to qualify the women's team sprint for Rio 2016 (Getty)

A fresh statement, given to the BBC two hours after British Cycling’s original one, read: "Following the announcement of an independent review into British Cycling's performance programmes, we are also announcing technical director Shane Sutton has been suspended pending an internal investigation into the allegations of discrimination that have been reported in the press."

Sutton’s suspension means British Cycling faces heading to Rio without a leader, although it is not known how long Sutton’s suspension will last and if he will be in charge again to lead the Team GB cyclists to the Olympics this summer.

Jess Varnish said she had been subject to sexism (Getty)

Speaking in an interview with The Times given before he was suspended, Sutton defended his position and denied all allegations of discriminatory behaviour.

“Someone who wasn’t up to the job has left the programme and should embrace my comments,” Sutton said. “Jess [Varnish] was not one of the greats. It’s sad she’s come out and said the things she said.”

Asked if he told her to “go and have a baby”, Sutton answered: “One hundred per cent no.

“No, there was never any talk of babies. I don’t know where that’s come from.”

Sutton gives Laura Trott some words of advice (Getty) (Getty Images)

Sutton added that he encourages the review into both his position and British Cycling’s performance programme so that he can have his side of the story heard, and admits that he has also received support from Varnish’s former sprint team-mates Katy Marchant, Becky James and Vicky Williamson, with a joint text message reading: “Just want you to know we are 100 per cent behind you.”

I was very supportive of her. I’m a bit hurt by the allegations given my relationship with her over the years

&#13; <p>Shane Sutton</p>&#13;

Sutton added: “Actually I’m embracing the opportunity to actually sit in front of the panel and give my view because I don’t think I’ve been heard properly from day one of this,” he says. “I’ve had great support from everybody here but at the end of the day it’s an allegation.”

Sutton also admitted his “astonishment” that Pendleton had spoken out against him, and used his experiences with the most successful ever British female Olympian to defend himself after she supported Varnish’s claims.

“I find it astonishing Vicky would wade in, given that on the journey [preparing for] Beijing, I’m up until 3 o’ clock in the morning decorating her house in Wilmslow,” says Sutton. “The number of times I’ve held her in my arms in the track centre when she has capitulated. I was very supportive of her. I’m a bit hurt by the allegations given my relationship with her over the years.”

Pendleton has supported Varnish's claims of a sexist culture at British Cycling (Getty)

Varnish also released a statement before Sutton’s suspension was made public, in which she stood by her allegation of what Sutton said to her and admitted she still wants to return to the velodrome to represent Great Britain.

"I feel that chance is being denied to me unfairly,” said Varnish. “I also want to change the culture at British Cycling and their treatment of women.

Varnish claims she was told to 'move on and get on with having a baby' by Sutton (Getty)

"The comment that Shane Sutton told me 'to go and have a baby' is true. I stand by all my statements in the Daily Mail interview and have examples of other comments made to me during my time at British Cycling by Shane Sutton dating back many years.

"At 25 years old I feel my best years are ahead of me. I also want to compete for Great Britain again. I am not too old. I am not a waste of UK Sport's money. I can win more medals."