Jess Varnish must prove she was employed by British Cycling or UK Sport to win her court case. GETTY IMAGES
Olympic cyclist Jess Varnish accused British Cycling of exercising "extreme control" over her and other athletes in her "long-running" legal attempt to sue the organization for sex discrimination and unfair dismissal, according to Helen Pidd of the London GUARDIAN. In order to bring her discrimination claim, Varnish, 28, "must first prove that she was an employee" of either British Cycling, which did not pay her but had supported her training since she was 12, or UK Sport, which from '15 provided her with a £21,500 tax-free grant toward her living and training costs. She "fell out publicly" with British Cycling in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics, when she was "kicked off" the podium program for top athletes. At the hearing, UK Sport insisted Varnish was not one of its employees and did not work for the organization because "there was no mutuality of obligation." In documents submitted to an employment tribunal in Manchester on Tuesday, Varnish argued that she was an employee because of the "net of control" extended over her and other athletes by British Cycling, alleging it "punished them for minor transgressions, and told them what to wear, eat and say in public." She had to wear a Team GB kit even when arriving at the velodrome for training, leaving "very limited opportunity for self expression," she claimed, and had to relinquish her own image rights to British Cycling. She said that she was "completely" supported by British Cycling and UK Sport. Varnish: "I received top quality medical care, dentistry, psychological support ... I think UK Sport estimate that this is worth about £23,000 to £40,000" (GUARDIAN, 12/11).
