British Cycling acts after riders call elite programme "toxic"

British Cycling's elite Olympic programme has been described as "toxic" by its own riders and staff.

The word was the joint-second most common answer when people were asked to describe the World Class Programme — the full-time squad that prepares Britain's Olympic, Paralympic and top track riders — in a confidential Culture Feedback Survey, BBC Sport reported.

The survey was paid for by UK Sport, the public body that funds Olympic sport in Britain, and carried out by an independent company. It found a drop in morale among both riders and performance staff.

Morale has dropped. Among male riders, overall satisfaction scored at minus 42, below what the survey calls the "critical warning zone", according to The Times.

In response, British Cycling said its GB Cycling Team, the elite racing arm, has developed an action plan. The plan is focused on leadership, development, feedback and wellbeing.

That includes work on "psychological safety", essentially whether riders and staff feel able to speak up without fear of punishment, road.cc reported. UK Sport said it has discussed the findings with British Cycling and is aware of the action plan being put in place.

Separately, sprinter Matt Richardson was withdrawn from the Great Britain squad for the World Track Cycling Championships in Shanghai amid reports that he is under investigation for misconduct. British Cycling has not detailed the nature of those reports.

For fans, this matters because British Cycling's elite programme has long been one of the country's best-funded Olympic sports. Questions about culture therefore go beyond results to how riders are treated day to day.

This is not the first time the organisation has faced such questions. In 2017, an independent review followed allegations of bullying and sexism and criticised a "culture of fear", Reuters reported. That review also found failings in governance and leadership.

British Cycling said it is now acting on the latest feedback. UK Sport said it will continue to monitor the action plan.