Sir Bradley Wiggins believes Shane Sutton will be cleared of discrimination allegations and says his long-time mentor wants to return to British Cycling.
Sutton stepped down as British Cycling technical director with 100 days to go to the Rio Olympics.
The 59-year-old Australian had been suspended by British Cycling after it was claimed he made inappropriate comments about Paralympic cyclists, shortly after the independent review was announced into claims of sexism made by Jess Varnish. Sutton denies the claims.
The independent review will conclude after the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Sutton has been ever-present in Wiggins' career, including his five Olympic gold medals, the hour record and his 2012 Tour de France win.
And Wiggins, who won a British record eighth Olympic medal in Rio, reckons Sutton could return.
"He wants to come back," the 36-year-old said. "I spoke to him two weeks ago and he said his life is pretty empty without this. I think he has the right to. Why not?
"I know Shane better than anyone and I believe he'll be cleared."
Varnish was dropped from British Cycling's Olympic programme after the two-woman, two-lap team sprint squad failed to qualify for the Rio Games, with British Cycling citing performance grounds.
She subsequently alleged Sutton told her to "go and have a baby", before others, including Victoria Pendleton, spoke out in support of Varnish. Multiple Paralympic champion Darren Kenny also claimed Sutton made derogatory comments about para-cyclists.
Wiggins added: "I don't want to dismiss the claims that have been made by certain people. But I understand more than anyone that there are two sides to every story.
"I don't see what evidence they can have, other than someone coming in and saying 'he said this to me, he said that'. And I think the tone of how some things are said can be skewed quite a bit as well.
"And there are two ways you can take [something] on board when someone says something. And how it's written isn't necessarily how it's said."
Wiggins has two children, 11-year-old Ben and 10-year-old Bella. He says he and his wife Cath, a cyclist herself, have discussed whether they would wish their children to become involved in British Cycling.
Wiggins added: "If my daughter wanted to get into cycling, which she does -- she already races with my son -- would I be happy for her to go into British Cycling now? I 100 percent would be.
"This whole sexism thing, I'd never, ever seen any sign of that, really.
"If I'm completely honest I think there's a lot of bitter people that didn't make the grade, got the boot and they have now come out picking holes in things and this that and the other.
"I think for every one of those there's equally successful people -- the Laura Trotts of this world -- that have been successful, Becky James and that."
The disruptive build-up does not appear to have hampered Britain too much, with four gold medals and two silvers from five events entered on the track so far. The women's team sprint is the one anomaly.
Sutton deserves credit for the achievements of the riders, Wiggins says.
"All this stuff is a result of his work. He was in charge of it," Wiggins said. "I came back to the track squad because he was in charge, he encouraged me to come back and I probably wouldn't have come back had it been somebody else in charge 18 months ago."
Sutton has still been available to advise coaches and riders, including Wiggins, with whom he has been in regular contact by text message.
Sutton sent Wiggins a message of inspiration the morning before Friday's team pursuit final, when Wiggins won his fifth gold and British record eighth medal in all.
"It's about going out and killing off your opposition now," Sutton told Wiggins. "You'll become the greatest by the end of play because you are. The records come naturally if you don't chase them, just chase the opposition."