Shane Sutton found guilty of using sexist language towards Jess Varnish

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Shane Sutton and Jess Varnish

Jess Varnish has said she is “shocked and upset” after learning only one of her nine complaints against former British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton was upheld by the national governing body.

British Cycling said in October that former Olympian Varnish’s complaint of “inappropriate and discriminatory language” against Shane Sutton had been upheld.

However BBC Sport reported that 59-year-old Sutton had been cleared of eight of the counts against him.

A leaked document showed the British Cycling board upheld the complaint that it was probable Sutton used the term “bitches”, but it showed that further claims were not accepted.

The board returned ‘not upheld’ verdicts in use of the term ‘Sheilas’, allegations of swearing, the claim that Sutton had told Varnish to “get on with having a baby”, and the Australian branding women as difficult.

Sutton resigned on April 27, 100 days before the Rio Olympics, over the allegations of sexism levelled by Varnish and further claims that he called members of the Paralympic team ‘‘gimps’‘ and ‘‘wobblies’‘.

Varnish now also wants answers after all but one of her accusations was not accepted.

“Having provided substantial evidence to back up my complaints, to now learn that the majority were not upheld, is heartbreaking. I know what was said, and I know I’ve told the truth”, she told BBC.

“I have requested from British Cycling the full investigation report to understand why the weight of evidence provided by me and others wasn’t sufficient for the board to uphold my complaints.”

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