Win for Varnish could hit Olympic funding
JESS VARNISH’S lawyers have outlined their case against UK Sport and British Cycling, conceding it could have a massive financial impact on Olympic athletes in the UK. Varnish, who made allegations of sexual discrimination against British Cycling when she was ejected from the team months before the 2016 Rio Olympics, will appear at a tribunal in Manchester next week arguing that she was an employee, not a contractor. And if she wins she says that she intends to then sue the governing body for discrimination. A Varnish win also has the potential to have a devastating impact on the funding of athletes. For 1,000 UK Sport-funded athletes, being recognised as an employee would mean more protection in terms of employment rights and pensions but could also mean the money they receive would be subject to income tax, which in turn would probably mean UK Sport would not be able to support as many athletes. Varnish was unavailable for comment yesterday but a statement from her lawyers said: ‘The wider implication is that if a UK Sport-funded athlete is given worker or employee status, then UK Sport will be required to overhaul its current funding system. ‘The significance of this case has been likened to the Bosman ruling in professional football which allowed footballers to be free agents after their contracts expired. ‘The purpose of demonstrating that UK Sport-funded athletes should be regarded as employees or workers is to ensure that all athletes will have protection from bullying and discrimination, be subject to income tax and receive full state pension allowances.’