Ennis coach slams overweight slurs

LONDON (AFP) –

British heptathlete Jessica Ennis models the new British Olympic Team GB kit designed by Stella McCartney at the launch in March. Ennis’s coach has slammed a senior figure at UK Athletics for describing the British heptathlon star as overweight ahead of the London Olympics.

Jessica Ennis’s coach has slammed a senior figure at UK Athletics for describing the British heptathlon star as overweight ahead of the London Olympics.

Toni Minichiello told the Guardian on Friday that an unnamed “high-ranking person” within the governing body said the 26-year-old former world champion had put on too much weight in the build-up to the 2012 Games.

Minichiello claimed the slurs were part of increased intrusion into Ennis’ preparation for the Olympics from “people in fairly high positions, who should know better”.

“I get e-mails, phone calls, text messages and voicemails giving me advice on what I should be doing with Jessica Ennis that’s going to make a difference. It’s a lot of background noise that you can get easily distracted by,” Minichiello told The Guardian.

“I’ve never had any issue with her weight or shape. There are times I’ve wished she was taller, but that’s it.

“The things you can’t deal with are what we’ve dubbed as ‘silver bullets’. And other people. You can’t deal with the expectations and pressures that are on other people, like the British Olympic Association’s (BOA) team management.”

Minichiello also hit out at plans from the BOA for Team GB members to sign a code of conduct ahead of the Olympics.

“What’s a big deal to Clive Woodward at the minute is the athletes’ agreement,” he said, ahead of Ennis’ last heptathlon before the Olympics in Gotzis, Austria this weekend.

“The Olympics, for Jess, is an individual environment and she knows how to behave and get the best out of herself.

“You know what? Jessica doesn’t have a problem with behaviour. We don’t have an issue there, we’re not going to get embroiled in bad stuff. She signs the flag, we just get on. It’s an aesthetic. I may get in trouble for (saying) that.”