British Cycling accentuates the positive in annual report

Athletes’ performances at Rio 2016, a successful bid to host the 2019 World Championships and record membership are all cited in British Cycling’s annual report as signs that the sport is flourishing. There is however acknowledgement in the report that it has also been a somewhat turbulent year for the governing body.

British Cycling president, Bob Howden, said the organisation was ‘spoilt for choice’ when looking back at elite achievements from 2016.

"This summer in Rio our Olympians and Paralympians dominated their respective cycling medal tables, underlining the amazing talent of our athletes and support staff, the proven effectiveness of our coaching systems, and more generally, the health of the sport in Britain.

“As ever, the work that we do across all disciplines and levels of the sport would not be possible without the tireless, invaluable work of our army of dedicated volunteers. Their work does not go unrecognised, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all.”

Chief executive Ian Drake writes that membership has now exceeded 125,000 and also points to the successful bid to host the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire as something to be celebrated, adding: “Fundamental to the bid is a government commitment to invest £15 million in cycle sport facilities,  an investment which will transform  the sport at grassroots level.”

Howden did however admit that there had also been turbulence for the governing body, acknowledging UK Sport’s independent review into the culture of British Cycling’s World Class Programme and UK Anti-Doping’s investigation into allegations of wrongdoing in cycling.

“Throughout the course of the review and the investigation – which are still ongoing – British Cycling has worked alongside UK Sport and UKAD to establish the full facts and we take our responsibilities towards staff, members and stakeholders very seriously. Whatever the outcome, we want to be an organisation of which our members can be proud.”