Varnish was dropped from British Cycling’s Olympic podium programme earlier this month after narrowly failing to qualify a place in the team sprint for Rio with Katy Marchant.

The 25-year-old criticised British Cycling at the time, after a fifth place finish at the World Championships in London proved not enough to seal the final Olympic berth for European nations, but Sutton insisted the decision had been made ‘purely on performance grounds’.

But Varnish hit back in a statement published on her personal website yesterday (April 26), claiming Sutton’s interview with the Telegraph – during which he discussed Varnish’s future- contravened an agreement that British Cycling do not publicly comment on such matters.

In an interview with the Daily Mail Varnish claimed Sutton told her to ‘go and have a baby’ and stood by those comments in her statement.

The Halesowen rider says Sutton’s interview, during which he said she was ‘too old’ and ‘not worth wasting UK Sport’s money’ also made her realise the door back to British Cycling was closed – despite being told earlier to prove the selectors wrong.

Varnish also hit back at the suggestion she had under-performed and was too old for the British Cycling podium programme.

She added: “With regards to my contract not being renewed on performance grounds, I find this very hard to accept. Prior to the 2016 World Championships I was not once told that I was underperforming.

“We have monthly reviews and at no stage was I put under review, or set performance targets to keep my place on the programme. The first I knew that the coaches had an issue with my performance levels was five days after the 2016 World Championships, when I was told I wouldn’t be getting a new contract over the phone.

“During the two-year Olympic qualifying process, I gained more qualifying points than any other British female sprint rider. I was consistently performing in the top five in the World for Lap One times in the Team Sprint, and I have also qualified Olympic places in the individual Sprint and Keirin.

“Since 2012 I have won medals at the World & European Championships and Commonwealth Games.

“At 25 years old I feel my best years are ahead of me. Sprinters such as Jamie Staff, Victoria Pendleton and Chris Hoy, all achieved success well into their thirties, so I refuse to believe that my career is finished.”

Varnish concluded her statement by reiterating her belief she could compete for British Cycling again, while Sutton came in for more criticism from Kenny in a separate Daily Mail interview.

Kenny and an unnamed ‘former British Cycling staff member’ claim Sutton referred to para-cyclists as ‘gimps’ and ‘wobblies’ and they were not treated as elite athletes.

They later added: “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.”