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news
Brandalism Shell and British Cycling ad (Brandalism)UK Sport warned British Cycling that Shell sponsorship deal could expose them to “legal and reputational risk”, reveals FOI request
Almost two years on, the ramifications of that infamous and controversial partnership between British Cycling and multinational oil and gas giant Shell are still continuing, as it has been revealed that UK Sport, the government agency overlooking Olympic and Paralympic funding, sent a letter to British Cycling warning them about “legal and reputational risk” after “considerable concerns” were raised by its board members.
The letter, revealed through a freedom of information request and seen by Private Eye Magazine, was addressed to former CEO of British Cycling Brian Facer just days before the eight-year partnership until the end of 2030 was made public in October 2022.
In the letter, UK Sport claimed that the partnership with Shell “potentially exposes UK Sport, the National Lottery and British Cycling to legal and reputational risk”. It also revealed that UK Sport held an extraordinary board meeting to discuss the partnership, in which members expressed “considerable concern about both the nature and structure” of Shell’s sponsorship.
The letter clarified that British Cycling’s partnership with Shell put pressure on UK Sport — a substantial stakeholder in British Cycling providing more than £10 million in funding — “to consider the implications of such partnerships" on the distribution of public money from sources such as the National Lottery.
At the moment of announcing the deal, British Cycling, the national governing body for cycling sport in the UK, claimed that the partnership “will see a shared commitment to supporting Great Britain’s cyclists and para-cyclists through the sharing of world-class innovation and expertise,” as well as “helping more – and wider groups of – people to ride, including ways to make cycling more accessible for disabled people.”
However, the backlash to the news was severe, with cyclists accusing British Cycling of facilitating ‘greenwashing’ with hundreds of comments from members slamming the organisation for the move.
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
A fortnight later, then CEO Brian Facer, who had claimed the Shell partnership would help British Cycling meet its net zero targets, announced that he’d be stepping down from his post, with Jon Dutton being appointed to the role in April 2023.
In October last year, it was reported that British Cycling was seeing “declining membership, lower than forecast sponsorship and rights fee income growth, and increasing cost pressure”, which forced it to make 11 of its 250 employees redundant.
In May this year, British Cycling claimed that it was aiming to achieve net zero by 2035 and halve its carbon emissions by 2030, as part of the national governing body’s first environmental sustainability strategy – a document published just weeks after “hacked” billboards were placed across the country accusing British Cycling of “fast tracking the apocalypse” thanks to its partnership with oil and gas giant Shell.
However, the governing body, which in the same month agreed a lead sponsorship deal with Lloyds Bank, said that its hugely controversial partnership with Shell is “helping accelerate” its journey to net zero and enabling the uptake of more low and zero-carbon forms of transport.
Adwitiya joined road.cc in 2023 as a news writer after graduating with a masters in journalism from Cardiff University. His dissertation focused on active travel, which soon threw him into the deep end of covering everything related to the two-wheeled tool, and now cycling is as big a part of his life as guitars and football. He has previously covered local and national politics for Voice Wales, and also likes to writes about science, tech and the environment, if he can find the time. Living right next to the Taff trail in the Welsh capital, you can find him trying to tackle the brutal climbs in the valleys.
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19 comments
Another leftie organisation with the foresight of a bat trying to dictate what everyone should do. No thought of the greater consequances if SHELL didn't sponsor British cycling and no mention of the fact that SHELL invested $2.7 billion in renewables last year.
Foresight and eyesight are not the same thing and, even if they were, contrary to popular myth bats actually have superior eyesight to most human beings and far superior in low light conditions.
As for "leftie organisation", the warning was given by UK Sport, a government organisation, at a time when that organisation was under control of a Conservative government and had been for 13 years. Perhaps just a tiny bit more thought before frothing might be in order?
To be fair, though, a bat doesn't have a lot of foresight. I mean, I've never heard of one saving for a pension, for example.
Although vampire bats understand the value of investing in other bats now in case they need help in the future. Clearly socialists...
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2012.2573
Socialism, or just the old bats network?
Well it depends who you hang out with. Some couldn't give a flying fox for others.
Sounds like a lot. It represents 11% of total investment (down on 14% from 2022).
Another one eyed right whinger?
Yup, blame the left wing. Because it's clear that the right wing have really improved the lot of Britain in the last 14 years.
But...but... we took back control?
2030 is an important year.
"In 2023, the EU adopted a set of Commission proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels."
Just as well we left.
The UK hit >53% net reduction against 1990 in 2023 so the EU target is hardly a huge stretch.
Only because the emissions associated with our inports are allocated to the country of manufacture rather than the country driving the demand. As a service economy (UK makes very little) this gave us a free ride. Including inports we are at about 25% reduction.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/greenhouse...
What's the point without a liveable planet? All parties knew what they were doing with this one. Happy to british cyclists do well but any success tainted by oil money.
Agreed. Current assessment of the state of the planet is quite concerning. The oil companies knew of a many of these issues in the '70s but chose to make short-term money instead of using the foresight for longer term good.
British Cycling can't send a team to the European Road Championships, meaning Tarling can't defend his title.......
Likely to be a financial decision; all well and good people complaing about sponsors, these championships require funding......Be careful what you wish for.
Maybe I'm unique but my desire for GB to be represented at some cycling competition is vastly outweighed for my desire to have a liveable planet.
I think it's more won't than can't, as success or lack of it, would count towards their next Olympics round of funding, the world's will already impact that, which they have to do, whilst the Euros are a choice they don't.
I can see the reputational risk, but what's the legal risk?
I'm guessing that other sponsors, suppliers, clubs, employees and venues have contracts with British Cycling that are private but might contain riders, requirements or commitments impacted by a deal with Big Oil. There's always a risk of third parties that may pursue test cases to establish legal precedent ie activists..