Official statement on behalf of Zoe Smith in response to funding decision0

In response to the decision of British Weightlifting announced this morning, to temporarily suspend Zoe Smith’s funding, her agent Gab Stone of GSE Management said the following:

“Zoe is shocked and surprised at the decision given her landmark success at the Commonwealth Games.

She has had a very difficult year, juggling training, her GCSEs, competitions, media interest and now her A-Levels. This juggling act presents continual challenges and it is the duty of Zoe’s support group to ensure she has everything she needs at her disposal to embrace those challenges and continue to develop as a world-class athlete.

The fact that the governing body have determined that the best way to go about this is to withdraw support is mind-boggling. Zoe has consistently met her performance targets and this has been reflected in her achievements this year. On Sunday she was recognised in the top three in the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award and just a week earlier she was crowned Best International Newcomer at the Sports Journalists’ Association Awards.

For Zoe it’s not about the money. What she needs is to feel that the people around her believe in her. Losing the funding won’t be life changing but if she feels she isn’t getting the support that she needs then the great fear is that one of the country’s next sporting superstars could be lost.

Zoe is also still young and to tell a 16-year-old to lose weight adds additional pressures. We all recognise that it is a demand of the sport however due to her age it is a very delicate situation which must be approached with due care for the obvious potential implications.

Due to the huge amount of interest Zoe receives from the media, in addition to her undoubted talent, I’m confident that if need be, we can continue to seek financial support for her away from the governing body. With no commitment to British Weightlifting Zoe would be free of all of the pressures being unnecessarily heaped on her whilst also giving her financial supporters an opportunity to play an integral part in the development of a future star.”

Speaking about the decision Zoe said:

“I’m obviously gutted to feel that I don’t have the support of my governing body after everything I’ve achieved this year, not least my bronze medal success at the Commonwealth Games. I’m a 16 year old girl and have to balance the pressures of school and my life away from weightlifting with training and competition. I’ll just carry on working hard like I always have to prove to British Weightlifting that you can’t just have the success I’ve had through talent alone.

ENDS

For more information please contact Gab Stone at GSE Management

T: 020 7183 1371
F: 020 7183 9107
M: 07949 588 669
E: gab@gseagency.com
A: 1a Lonsdale Square, London, N1 1EN