British Cycling has officially joined The Royal Foundation National Suicide Prevention Network as an On Your Side Champion organisation, embedding practical mental health and suicide prevention resources across grassroots clubs, academies, and elite setups in coordination with the British Standards Institution and Chasing the Stigma.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Organisational Governance Shift: The introduction of dedicated suicide prevention leads provides oversight and help direct the resources through welfare networks across the sport.
- Community Risk Mitigation: Deploying the On Your Side toolkit via the Hub of Hope creates a standardized safety net for riders, volunteers, and staff operating in high-pressure elite and grassroots environments.
Embedding Evidence-Based Welfare Across the Peloton
The announcement, made on World Suicide Prevention Day, places British Cycling alongside major sporting entities such as the FA, Premier League, and RFU. For the past 12 months, the governing body has actively contributed to the development of the On Your Side toolkit. Produced in tandem with the British Standards Institution and mental health charity Chasing the Stigma, the resource provides a structured framework designed to help individuals recognize early warning signs, initiate vital conversations, and connect people with support before a crisis materializes.
Previous initiatives alongside Movember and Mind laid the groundwork, but this integration embeds actionable infrastructure. The toolkit will be universally accessible through Chasing the Stigma’s Hub of Hope, servicing everyone from elite riders and coaching staff to volunteers, families, and spectators across domestic networks.
Front-Office Governance and Strategic Integration
To ensure these protocols transition smoothly from the boardroom to the training ground, British Cycling will implement dedicated suicide prevention leads. These individuals will provide direct oversight, routing resources through existing safeguarding and wellbeing pathways. Tracy Power, Managing Director of the British Cycling Foundation, emphasized the broader cultural implications of the partnership.
“Cycling is a powerful force for change and we understand it can play a vital role in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges including suicide prevention,” Power stated. “By becoming an ‘On Your Side champion for The Royal Foundation Suicide Prevention Network, we can continue to reach our networks within cycling, showing that cycling is a place they belong, and also that they will have access to practical support if and when it is needed.”
Comparative Welfare Frameworks in UK Sport
| Sport Governing Body | Network Alignment | Core Resource / Partner |
|---|---|---|
| British Cycling | The Royal Foundation National Suicide Prevention Network | On Your Side Toolkit / Chasing the Stigma |
| The FA & Premier League | National Suicide Prevention Network | |
| RFU | National Suicide Prevention Network |
Power noted the collaborative nature of the journey:
“We are proud to have been a key collaborator in bringing this toolkit together, utilising the expertise we have in our existing safeguarding and well-being structures. We have learned a lot with other partners along the way, so this has been a very enriching journey. We do not have all the answers, but we are stronger as a collective in working together to create safer sporting environments for everyone to thrive in.”
The Path Forward for Grassroots and Elite Networks
British Cycling is actively encouraging its broad network of regional clubs and competitive tiers to integrate the toolkit into daily operations. By building confidence and awareness at every level of the sport, the organization aims to ensure that participants not only recognize their place within the cycling community but also know reliable support systems are securely in place.
