British Cycling‘s riders will still be able to consult with the organisations former technical director Shane Sutton, according to BC’s new performance director Stephen Park.
Park told media that at the Track World Championships in Hong Kong that he would not prevent his riders from continuing to work with Sutton, who resigned in April 2016 amid allegations of sexism and discrimination.
“I’m not specifying how they should or shouldn’t run their individual programmes at this stage,” Park told the Telegraph when asked whether British Cycling riders could continue to work with Sutton.
“Shane is clearly well respected for his coaching abilities and he’s got an incredible track record. So, it would be silly for me not to have some level of engagement with him, if that’s possible and he’s willing to do that.
“Whether other cyclists do or don’t, I suppose they’ll work with their individual coaches. Nobody’s saying that anybody should or shouldn’t speak to any individual.”
Sutton was reportedly overlooked for the role of Cycling Australia’s high performance director, which went instead to Team Sky coach Simon Jones, but Park said that thing would only change if Sutton took up a role with another team or nation.
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“People who are actively involved in Olympic sport and have spent years of their time in Olympic sport, generally, they’re keen to support the development of athletes in their chosen sport, whatever that is.
“They’ve sacrificed a lot of their own lives to support those of others. I don’t think that’s just going to stop for Shane necessarily.
“I think the thing that will probably change that, I suspect, is as and when he’s involved with a competing cycling team, where he probably will feel he’s conflicted. And that would probably be the thing that would be the biggest trigger to move that on.”
