Paralympic legend explodes at UK Sport for toxic treatment of athletes and reveals why no one dares to speak out

Paralympic champion Lora Fachie has said that British Cycling and UK Sport have created a toxic environment for disabled athletes. She said the system only cares when athletes are winning medals and then forgets them once they stop.

Lora, who is registered blind, was removed from the Paralympic programme in March this year. In September, she suddenly got an email saying she was back on the team. She felt shocked and hopeful for a moment. But later, she was told it was only sent because they had to pay her £250 that was owed to her. She said this mistake hurt her deeply and proved that people in charge do not understand how emotionally fragile these situations can be for athletes.

Lora Fachie calls out emotional damage and poor treatment from British Cycling

Lora said she has been part of the programme since 2009 and has given everything to the sport. But many times, she felt lonely, unseen and mentally exhausted. She once said she felt punished for having a baby. She now fears for her young son Fraser, who is also visually impaired. She said she does not want him to go through the same pain she did in this system.

She said athletes are treated like they matter only when they win medals.

As soon as they stop winning or are seen as slowing down, they become unimportant. Lora Fachie had asked for a change of coach or pilot for her mental well-being. But instead of helping her make that change, the system decided to remove her from the team. She said this was unfair because she had returned to strong form even after giving birth.

Neil Fachie and other para-athletes fear the system is unsafe and isolating

Lora, who is married to Paralympian Neil Fachie, shared incidents that made her feel unsafe.

Last year, she was mugged during a competition in Rio. She said that in 2024, during an event in Switzerland, she was placed alone on the fifth floor of a hotel. The rest of the team stayed on lower floors. Her tandem partner had to leave early, and she was left alone without any sighted support. Also Read: Jannik Sinner Vs Carlos Alcaraz Net Worth In 2025: Who Is Richer, Tennis Rivalry, Six Kings Slam Status, Endorsements And MoreShe struggled even to find food at the hotel buffet because she could not see what was there. She had to keep messaging people and asking for help every time. She said it made her feel like a burden and made her feel extremely isolated. Lora Fachie said many athletes remain silent because they are scared of being removed if they speak up. She warned that real support is needed now so future para-athletes do not suffer the way she did.