<\/p>\n
Backlash continues following Cycling Canada\u2019s controversial decision to cancel the women\u2019s team pursuit program.<\/p>\n
Becka Borody, from Kitchener, Ont., resigned from Cycling Canada\u2019s board of directors on Friday.<\/p>\n
Borody was elected to the board in October to a one-year term.<\/p>\n
In a statement to Canadian Cycling Magazine<\/em>, she confirmed that she had stepped down. Her decision follows news that five women\u2019s team pursuit riders are appealing Cycling Canada\u2019s decision to pause the program and not send a squad to the 2026 world championships in Shanghai, China. Skyler Goudswaard, Fiona Majendie, Jenna Nestman, Lily Plante and Justine Thomas have filed an appeal with the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada after widespread backlash followed the announcement.<\/p>\n They are represented by Amanda Fowler and Dr. Emir Crowne.<\/p>\n \u201cAs reflected in public reporting, the athletes received no meaningful notice before an entire program was cut. This eliminated a critical Olympic pathway,\u201d Fowler and Dr. Crowne said in a statement.<\/p>\n In a conversation with Canadian Cycling Magazine<\/em>, former Cycling Canada employee and longtime member of the cycling community Kevin Field pointed to what he sees as a bigger problem.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t actually think the central issue is women\u2019s team pursuit specifically. I think it\u2019s whether the system is coherent,\u201d Field said<\/a>. \u201cDo people understand how decisions are made? Do they believe the standards are applied consistently? Do athletes feel supported when things go wrong? Right now, it feels like there\u2019s a gap between performance language and lived understanding. And that gap appears to create mistrust.\u201d<\/p>\n As far as the appeal, Cycling Canada\u2019s CEO, Mathieu Boucher told the CBC<\/a>, \u201cAt this stage we are not aware of any formal appeal being filed. However, we will respect the appeal process if and when that occurs.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI resigned from the Board of CC recently. There were a lot of ongoing reasons, but the way in which the communication, and then lack of transparency around recent decisions made it clear that my values no longer aligned with leadership of the board and the organization.\u201d<\/p>\nTeam pursuit riders appeal decision<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s next?<\/h2>\n