British Cycling suspended chief coach Shane Sutton following allegations of discriminatory behaviour revealed by Sportsmail.

And, following the weekend claims by sprint cyclist Jess Varnish of bullying and sexist remarks made to her, we can reveal that Sutton is alleged, on more than one occasion, to have referred to para-cyclists as ‘wobblies’ and ‘gimps’.

Multiple sources claim that such highly discriminatory and crude language was used to describe elite athletes on the British para-cycling performance team.

Under fire Shane Sutton (right) has been suspended following allegations of discriminatory behaviour

Darren Kenny, a bronze medallist at London 2012, claims the attitude towards disabled riders was 'abysmal'

Former Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton (right) has backed her team-mate Jessica Varnish's claims

It comes on top of Varnish’s claims that after ending her dream of competing at the Rio Olympics, Sutton had told her to ‘move on and have a baby,’ and that her ‘ass’ was ‘too big’ to ride certain roles on the sprint team.

Sutton denies all allegations of bullying and sexism.

Those claims will be investigated by British Cycling, who have also launched an independent review of their performance programmes. In a new development, Darren Kenny, one of Britain’s most decorated para-cyclists, claims to have heard members of the disability team referred to in highly derogatory terms by Sutton.

‘The attitude towards them was abysmal,’ said Kenny. ‘We were tolerated at best. The term used to refer to us was generally “gimps”, with another word in front of that. I know others had an issue as well with not being allowed on the track and not being given time to prepare for competitions.’

Great Britain has one of the most successful para-cycling programmes in the world, winning 15 medals on the track and seven on the road at the London 2012 Olympics. The current team includes former RAF serviceman Jon-Allan Butterworth, a triple Paralympic silver medallist who lost his left arm serving in Iraq, and Dame Sarah Storey, one of Britain’s most high-profile sportswomen.

But the allegations suggest they were not treated with the respect they deserve.

‘I don’t think we were ever considered to be elite athletes, in all honesty, by certain people and since I’ve left I’ve not seen or heard of any change towards equality,’ said Kenny.

Great Britain has one of the most successful para-cycling programmes in the world

Click here for Sportsmail's exclusive interview

Another source, a former British Cycling staff member who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed Sutton once exploded into a rage, kicking the office door open when para-cyclists were deemed to have impeded able-bodied cyclists while training on the track.

‘One day the Paralympic squad were on the track and I think somebody had wobbled,’ said the source. ‘They’d gone a bit close and one of the male (able-bodied) sprinters had got a bit tetchy and started having a go at Shane and he then in turn came flying into the office saying, “Get those f****** gimps off the track”.

And it’s like, you can’t say that. It’s not right but that’s how he works. He’d come out with stuff that was just outrageous. In many ways he had a heart of gold but obviously that’s unacceptable.’

Another source, who worked closely with Sutton, says he regularly referred to the para-cyclists as wobblies.

‘They were referred to as wobblies. It was an in-joke used to describe para-cyclists but it’s not politically correct, clearly. I think that they did know about it.’

Kenny, born in Dorset, started riding aged 11 but at 18 injured his head and neck during a junior Tour of Ireland and later fell again. This was followed by a car crash and a work accident, both of which caused head injuries that left Kenny disabled.

SUSPENDED COACH TAKES AIM AGAINST PENDLETON AFTER SEXISM ROW In a fiery interview today, Shane Sutton claimed that he had supported Victoria Pendleton - who spoke out against the 'miserable' atmosphere at British Cycling - when she 'capitulated' during training. He also insisted that Jess Varnish had been dropped solely on the basis of her performance on the track, calling her 'a wonderful girl and a beautiful person'. Pendleton said yesterday that she believes Varnish was bullied at British Cycling, adding: 'My experiences were very similar. And I know exactly how miserable they made me.' But Sutton said he had a good relationship with Pendleton, who is now a jockey after quitting cycling, and expressed disappointment that she was not siding with him after he helped her sporting career. hane Sutton, left, has claimed that Victoria Pendleton, right, 'capitulated' during practice He told The Times: 'I find it astonishing Vicky would wade in, given that on the journey [preparing for] Beijing, I’m up until 3 o'clock in the morning decorating her house in Wilmslow. 'The number of times I’ve held her in my arms in the track centre when she has capitulated. I was very supportive of her. I’m a bit hurt by the allegations given my relationship with her over the years.' Sutton married his wife Abbie last August and they are expecting their first child this summer - shortly before the Olympics which begin on August 5. Laura Trott, the double gold medallist who along with Pendleton is Britain's best-known female cyclist, said today that she has a 'positive' relationship with the coach. Advertisement

Silver medallists Jon-Allan Butterworth, Richard Waddon and Darren Kenny on the podium at London 2012

He started cycling again at the age of 30 to improve his fitness and to be a role model for his son, Brandon. Kenny went on to win six Paralympic gold medals, both on the track and the road, and was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List for his services to disabled sport. But he cannot bear to have the reminders of his incredible career around his home.

‘I’m not a member of British Cycling any more,’ says Kenny, who has now set up Estrella bikes, a bicycle manufacturing company. ‘In my house I don’t have any medals or trophies or pictures or anything up of my career at all, it was one of the most unpleasant periods of my life. There were parts of it, obviously, that I really enjoyed but there’s too much that I didn’t. I like that my life now is more about enjoying riding a bike again.

‘It makes it very difficult for someone like Jess when they stand up and say something because you can’t get any back-up from riders who are in the system because they’re all scared of losing their place. Then anyone that’s out of the system is branded bitter or not good enough.

‘A lot of the male riders go on to work for British Cycling after their careers have finished. I don’t know of any women or para-riders who have gone on to work for them afterwards and I think that reflects the hierarchy.’

Kenny went on to win six Paralympic gold medals, both on the track and the road, and was awarded an OBE

Sutton, 58, became technical director — the highest coaching position within British Cycling — in 2014. He had previously been the No 2 for Dave Brailsford, who led Britain’s cyclists to a record medal haul at the London Olympics.

Sutton came over to the UK to ride the professional circuit in the late 1980s. He is widely lauded for his coaching and motivational abilities but many of the sources Sportsmail spoke to questioned his management skills.

‘If you’re one of his favourites he’ll do anything he can to help you,’ said one source. ‘But on the other side you’ve got those who he’ll intimidate and bully and it’s excused by him being brash and Australian,’ said one. ‘I think he sees females as weaker. He’s like an abusive husband, they long for him to be nice and then when he is nice they think it’s brilliant and then he lets off again.

Chief coach Shane Sutton, at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, has been suspended

‘He’d make comments on other nations and say our athletes are too fat with disregard for how it would affect them emotionally. “People need to toughen the f*** up”, is what he’d say. He used to shout out, “The wobblies”, at the para-cyclists.’

A statement from British Cycling last night read: ‘Following the announcement of an independent review into British Cycling’s performance programmes, we are also announcing technical director Shane Sutton has been suspended pending an internal investigation into the allegations of discrimination that have been reported in the press.’