Reports of sexism in British Cycling - Sutton suspended

[Celtic Dragon]

louiebaby said:

Surely the way that British Cycling is funded is down to how it's run.

As I understand it, Olympic medals pretty much drive the funding. (Happy to be proved wrong.)

You are right, and I think thats another area that causes problems. I am also an archer and have been since I was 5, and was lucky enough to be able to ask an Olympian (Seoul 88)for advice as a junior. Since then I've watched Arcehry GB as it is now become the monstrosity it has become. Since they came back with the Team Bronze, and Alison's medal from Syndey has pushed the need for results so high to get any funding its become results, results, results, money, money, money. Putting the athletes and staff under so much pressure, everyone forgets that they are just human, and a lot of them still aren't full time athletes.

Edit: I should add that the above go so bad for the a school friend and fellow club member after Sydney he didn't want to pick up a bow again.

Edited by Celtic Dragon on Thursday 28th April 14:27

[AndrewEH1]

Craikeybaby said:

I agree with all of that.

But then you hear about all the instances of non-British Cycling funded riders being left out of national teams, even if they are the national champion. surely that is wrong - if they have proved to be the best rider in the country for their discipline they should be able to represent the country.

Obviously If the British Cycling schemes were working as intended the national champion would be in their squad already...

Pretty much exactly this.

[funkyrobot]

Celtic Dragon said:

You are right, and I think thats another area that causes problems. I am also an archer and have been since I was 5, and was lucky enough to be able to ask an Olympian (Seoul 88)for advice as a junior. Since then I've watched Arcehry GB as it is now become the monstrosity it has become. Since they came back with the Team Bronze, and Alison's medal from Syndey has pushed the need for results so high to get any funding its become results, results, results, money, money, money. Putting the athletes and staff under so much pressure, everyone forgets that they are just human, and a lot of them still aren't full time athletes.

Edit: I should add that the above go so bad for the a school friend and fellow club member after Sydney he didn't want to pick up a bow again.

Edited by Celtic Dragon on Thursday 28th April 14:27

A chap from the village next to mine did well in the Barcelona Olympics archery event.

[anonymous-user]

Craikeybaby said:

I agree with all of that.

But then you hear about all the instances of non-British Cycling funded riders being left out of national teams, even if they are the national champion. surely that is wrong - if they have proved to be the best rider in the country for their discipline they should be able to represent the country.

Obviously If the British Cycling schemes were working as intended the national champion would be in their squad already...

All the instances? I've only ever heard of Cooke having an issue as a non-BC funded rider into the Olympic squad and suffering by not being part of the BC programme but then she was miles better than the rest of the British Women so it made sense that she ride on the Continent. To be honest, BC could probably do very little for her, like Armitstead, Cooke was just significantly better than the rest of the women at the time.

[Craikeybaby]

pablo said:

Craikeybaby said:

I agree with all of that.

But then you hear about all the instances of non-British Cycling funded riders being left out of national teams, even if they are the national champion. surely that is wrong - if they have proved to be the best rider in the country for their discipline they should be able to represent the country.

Obviously If the British Cycling schemes were working as intended the national champion would be in their squad already...

All the instances? I've only ever heard of Cooke having an issue as a non-BC funded rider into the Olympic squad and suffering by not being part of the BC programme but then she was miles better than the rest of the British Women so it made sense that she ride on the Continent. To be honest, BC could probably do very little for her, like Armitstead, Cooke was just significantly better than the rest of the women at the time.

BMX too, from the previous page.

joema said:

After racing through youth and junior XC you would get dad's behaving pretty badly but he sounds like the pushy dad from hell.

The abuse is not acceptable even if it is an Olympic year. He had to go.

The BMX national champ hasn't been selected for Olympics. We only have Liam Phillips - why can't we have two? All they care about is track. Yet so few people do it. Yet a lot of us pay memberships and I'm not sure what for.

In fact the Olympics is a bit of a poison chalice imo with the way funding and BC work. I think it would be useful if this did affect results

Personally I hope that some major reorganisation occurs.

[nammynake]

Any idea what Pete Kennaugh posted on Twitter today? He deleted his post but loads of people commenting that he's been a bit of a dick.

[Celtic Dragon]

pablo said:

King and Armitstead are light years apart, there was no point putting King in the road race as only Vos and Johannson can realistically stick with Armitstead but I do agree that the women appear to be suffering at the moment. Obviously to some extent its cyclical, 2012 was the high point of a training peak for the athletes and they delivered, Trott, King, Rowsell, Pendleton all did the job. Four years later and the rest of the world have caught up again, Aus in particular look super strong, as do China, we're on the downward curve or back on the up, either way GB women are not at a peak. Whether its an issue with training, motivation coaching or attitude is something only the coaches and riders can know though.

That wasn't my point Okgo, my point was that BC didn't put a full team in, and they had an experienced rider who could have helped out there with kit, yet chose not to use her.

I do however agree with you

[Magic919]

Celtic Dragon said:

That wasn't my point Okgo

Not convinced it was his, either.

[anonymous-user]

Kennaugh tweeted to Emma Pooley that there was no point Sky sending a team to the womens giro when no one in the UK has ever heard of the women's giro... Not his greatest moment...

Worth reading Sir Chris Hoy's comments
http://www.chrishoy.com/news/ and the link to his article in the Guardian.

[Jimbo.]

and now Simon Yates gets popped! Silly boy...