The Charity Commission has contacted the trustees of the Bradley Wiggins Foundation after the charity was criticised for using funds to sponsor a women’s professional cycling team.

A report in Cycling Weekly claims that the charity has “left donors in the dark” about how donations are being spent and at the same time used some of its money to sponsor the Wiggle Honda cycling team.

A Commission spokeswoman said: “We have been made aware of concerns about how the charity is spending money which has been donated to it.  We are contacting the trustees to clarify how the funds are being applied and remind them of the need to be open and transparent in dealing with donors and the public in accounting for how the charity’s funds have been used.”

Wiggins launched the charity shortly after his triumphs at the London 2012 Olympics and the Tour de France, and it was registered with the regulator in October 2012. It states that its objects are to “promote regular healthy recreation by encouraging participation in sport” as well as providing “support, assistance and encouragement” to people in sport.

The Foundation does not need to file accounts until February 2015 and the website does not include detailed financial activity. As well as stating its support of the Wiggle Honda team, it also says it supports the An Post Racing team and has sponsored a series of criterium races at Salt Ayre in Lancaster.

It has held two cycling fundraising events, Ride with Brad, in 2012 and 2013 and a fundraising ball in 2012 to raise money but does not appear to have announced any fundraising totals.

Earlier this week Wiggins told The Guardian that he planned to “scale down” the Foundation’s activities, and that the Ride with Brad event would not happen this year because “I have to focus on training”.

“We’ve put money into the Wiggle Honda women’s team and will continue to do that; we won’t take on big events as they take so much time and resource to organise and do well. I really admire people like Lawrence Dallaglio and Mo Farah for their big fundraising nights but this isn’t our thing,” he added.

The charity has not responded to Civil Society News' request for comment.