As High Performance Sport New Zealand prepares to launch an investigation into Cycling New Zealand's handling of former sprint coach Anthony Peden's behaviour, more details are emerging about just why a relationship with a rider was so inappropriate.
The information further shows why Cycling NZ's failure to step in is of real concern, as Peden wasn't just coaching the athlete he was having a relationship with - he was also a selector.
That means Peden was making decisions about who was in the team and as a result, who received funding.
Athletes have told 1 NEWS there was a bias in those decisions.
While the relationship was going on the rider went to all the major events and other athletes believe that decision wasn't solely based on performance.
In fact, some told 1 NEWS they believed selection or non-selection was used by Peden as a way of controlling and intimidating those who knew about what was going on.
Cycling NZ is given more than $4 million of tax payer money a year to support the best athletes as they work towards the Olympics.
Critics say Peden's relationship jeopardised the objectivity of the selection process and athletes lost trust in the programme.
But the problem athletes faced, unlike staff, was the option of walking away from the organisation also meant walking away from their sporting dreams.
Others have told 1 NEWS they tried many times to tell Cycling NZ what was going on but they weren't listened to.
The latest revelations come after 1 NEWS’s exclusive reveal over Peden’s actions last week which also uncovered the fact the former sprint coach gained access to “deeply personal and damning” confidential interviews athletes had with HPSNZ.
Some of the topics discussed in the interviews included no consequences for "s*** behaviour", "a real lack of holding people accountable", "the boozy drinking culture" and a specific off-track incident in France involving Peden and an athlete weeks before the Rio Olympics.
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