UK Sport considers setting up permanent investigation unit after British Cycling probe

UK Sport, which in April ordered an investigation into the culture a British Cycling that is due to report soon, has said it is considering setting up a permanent investigations unit to deal with future allegations against the governing bodies of the sports that it funds.

The independent review of British Cycling, conducted by a panel led by chair of British Rowing Annemarie Phelps, is separate to the governing body’s own investigation of allegations of sexism made by track sprinter Jess Varnish against former technical director Shane Sutton, which were upheld last week.

The review that UK Sport ordered is examining not just those allegations, but others including a claim that Sutton referred to para-cyclists as “gimps” and “wobblies” and is also looking into whether a culture of bullying exists at the organisation.

On Monday, UK Sport unveiled A Code for Sports Governance which sets out the “gold standard” requirements that the country’s sports governing bodies need to meet in order to receive public funding.

The charter covers issues such as transparency, integrity, financial probity, leadership, membership, diversity and organisational culture.

Speaking at the launch, UK Sport chief operating officer Simon Morton, quoted in Telegraph Sport, said: “What UK Sport will be doing is looking in the next year at whether we have the right structures in place in terms of an investigatory function.

“We understand that there is an increasing need for British sport to have an investigatory function around independent reviews.

“Rather than reinventing the wheel every time and independent review comes around, to actually have clarity on the process, I think, would be beneficial.”

UK Sport grants funding to governing bodies across individual Olympic and Paralympic cycles – the current one, for Rio, covers 2013-17, and is based on an eight-year model that looks at past success as well as future medal prospects.

Cycling has received £30.3m during the current cycle and para-cycling £6.8m, the combined figure making British Cycling the governing body that is given the most money by UK Sport.

While the agency has undertaken reviews of other sports, that level of funding, plus the continued success of the country’s cyclists at Olympic and Paralympic Games and other events means it is by far the highest profile one.

“What UK Sport will be doing is looking in the next year at whether we have the right structures in place in terms of an investigatory function.

“We understand that there is an increasing need for British sport to have an investigatory function around independent reviews.

“Rather than reinventing the wheel every time and independent review comes around, to actually have clarity on the process, I think, would be beneficial.”

“The UK has been one of the strongest advocates for international sport to reform itself and to make sure that it’s fit for purpose,” he added. But we can’t do that if we ourselves are not aiming to be the gold standard.

“This is about walking the walk and this is about sending a strong message and leading by example,” he added.