British Cycling and Team Sky relationship faces review

Wiggins won two gold medals at the 2008 Olympics

An independent review is to examine the relationship between Team Sky and Great Britain's Olympic squad.

UK Sport is investing over £26m into British Cycling's elite programme ahead of the 2012 London Games.

And British Cycling is keen to avoid conflicts of interest, with team members and riders such as Bradley Wiggins involved with both squads.

"A review benefits us and UK Sport and will ensure everyone is complying with requirements," said BC's Brian Cookson.

The review, ordered by British Cycling and UK Sport, will be carried out by global consultancy Deloitte, who are due to reveal their findings by the end of the summer.

It is not being done from any negative angle, but to ensure that both programmes are working well and can deliver what they need to UK Sport's head of communications Russell Langley

Its primary function is to determine that targets are being met as Britain seek to build on their success at the 2008 Beijing Olympic when they won eight gold medals.

Cookson told the Inside the Games website: "We're as anxious as anyone that the team shouldn't lose any competitive advantage.

"This is a way to ensure that every bit of Lottery funding that comes to the UK cycling team is used to their benefit."

Team Sky was launched in January, backed by £30m from the broadcasting giant BSKYB, and featuring top British rider Wiggins, who won Saturday's opening time trial at the Giro d'Italia as the team competed in a Grand Tour event for the first time.

The team's dual remit is to develop British cyclists, with an eye on world and Olympic titles, and to produce a British Tour de France winner by 2014.

However, another potential concern surrounds the scheduling of the 2012 Tour de France, which is due to finish only a matter of days before the London Olympics begin on 27 July.

UK Sport's head of communications Russell Langley told the Guardian: "We invest millions of public money in British Cycling and we and they will be judged by the medals won in 2012.

"It is not being done from any negative angle, but to ensure that both programmes are working well and can deliver what they need to."