Wallwork goes it alone after losing faith in programme

Wallwork, from Leeds, complained she had “no voice” and cited a lack of confidence in BE in a strongly-worded statement posted on her Twitter account.

The 26-year-old is the second player to pull out of the programme in the space of four months after Imogen Bankier, who now competes back in her native Scotland.

Wallwork did not make clear whether she intended to play on independently or not but, given that she plays doubles, options will be limited and the decision could effectively amount to her retirement.

Senior figures at BE, who also administer the Great Britain 
Olympic programme, have been taken aback by the development, but have expressed confidence in their set-up.

Wallwork wrote: “No voice, no choice! It is with regret that at the age of 26 and entering the prime of my career I feel the necessity to submit my resignation from the GB Badminton Programme.

“As the most successful female player, with 42 caps and (as) the highest world-ranked player over the last four years, I feel I have no voice or direction in the way my career is going and find myself in an impossible situation other than to remove myself from the World Class Performance Programme.

“It is an athlete’s career and not the performance director’s and an athlete should have a say in its direction. I know my dreams and aspirations were achievable, as my results and achievements so far will testify, but in my attempt to move forward in my development my views have been discounted.

“‘Continue with the programme given to you or submit your resignation,’ was an ultimatum recently given to me.

“I feel this indicates insecure, untrusting and incapable leadership and I am not prepared to be dictated to.”

In partnership with Nathan Robertson, Wallwork was one of Britain’s top hopes during the pre-London 2012 Olympic cycle.

But the emergence of Bankier and Chris Adcock in the mixed doubles discipline saw the pair edged out of a qualifying position.

Following Robertson’s retirement last summer, BE announced Wallwork would be teaming up with a new partner in Andy Ellis.

Wallwork was also split from her regular women’s doubles partner, Gabby White, and later made her unhappiness known.

A statement from BE read: “We are extremely disappointed to learn of Jenny’s decision to step down from the GB World Class Performance Programme.

“Jenny’s decision has taken us by surprise and we are disappointed with the manner in which she has chosen to communicate it. We had discussed Jenny’s programme and how it should look in considerable depth with her (recently) and thought we were moving forward positively.”