The "much-delayed" independent report into British Cycling is set to be published next week with "some criticisms of the governing body watered down from the draft version," according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. Some of the "damning remarks" about British Cycling board members contained in the draft version have been "toned down" after the process of "Maxwellisation," where those identified in the draft report have the "right to respond and give their side of events." Meanwhile, British Cycling Chair Jonathan Browning will decide after an emergency general meeting on July 22 -- where the governing body will vote on reforms -- "whether to put himself forward to be re-elected" as the independent chair in November (LONDON TIMES, 6/6).
SHAKE-UP: The PA reported most of the British Cycling directors accused of covering up a report into "claims of bullying within the GB team" will be replaced in reforms "set to be voted on" at the EGM. The governing body has been "under the spotlight" since the spring of '16 when former GB track sprinter Jess Varnish made allegations about former Technical Dir Shane Sutton and claimed there was "a culture of fear" in the organization. On top of the Varnish allegations, the organization has also been "faced with the UK Anti-Doping investigation into claims of wrongdoing in the sport," and the reforms mean that "at least two thirds of the directors who have been dealing with both issues will have departed." The independent panel’s preliminary report, which was leaked in March, was "scathing about how an internal investigation led by the British Cycling board member Alex Russell had been handled" (PA, 6/5).
REPLACING DIRECTORS: The BBC reported the "other major change" to be put to a vote is the "introduction of a limit for directors of three three-year terms, which would mean six of the eight elected members on the current board would then have to stand down." All but one of the board members representing English regions "would be replaced." The changes are "being brought in to adhere to the government's new governance guidelines for sporting bodies." Meanwhile, UK Anti-Doping continues to investigate British Cycling over "various allegations of wrongdoing." A review into its medical practices is underway. Sport England allocated £17M ($22M) to British Cycling to "boost participation" and UK Sport has said that it will provide £26M ($33.5M) for the GB Olympic and Paralympic teams' preparations for Tokyo 2020. But British Cycling has been warned by Sport England it needs to do more to ease "concerns" over the way it is run if it is to receive the funding (BBC, 6/5).
