Birmingham's top swimming coach has quit, blaming his decision on the city council’s continued failure to financially support the sport.
Adam Ruckwood left his post as head coach at the City of Birmingham Swimming Club after becoming increasingly frustrated with the authority’s inability to fund a new Olympic-sized pool.
Mr Ruckwood, a Commonwealth gold medallist swimmer, will take up a new role in Coventry which has been charged by the sport’s governing body British Swimming to develop young swimming talent.
Mr Ruckwood said: “It’s like Manchester United trying to train just on a five-a-side pitch. I joined the club as a swimmer in 1989 and we were supposed to be getting a 50-metre pool then.
“Here we are 21 years on still with no 50-metre pool.”
Birmingham City Council announced in 2008 it would build a 50m Olympic-sized pool behind the NIA, in Ladywood, at a cost of £60 million but reversed the decision last October because it no longer had the funds.
And Newton Pool, the City of Birmingham Swimming Club’s base, has been shut since April last year because part of the roof fell in.
Birmingham City Council spokesman Steve Hollingworth, said: “We wish Adam well in his new job.
“Our aim remains to build a 50m complex and we have planning permission. We now need to put a funding package in place.”
