By Elliot Foster
Nicola Adams has been released from her contract by GB Boxing.
The 34-year-old double Olympic gold medallist, who became champion at the London Games in 2012 before following up that success in Rio last year, leaves he World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) for boxing and will not be part of the GB Boxing squad for the 2017-21 Tokyo cycle.
She is now free, according to the press statement, to pusue other career opportunities with her contract ending on March 31.
Adams, from Leeds, was appointed an MBE to her services to boxing in 2013 and, in the New Year Honours for 2017, was handed an OBE for the same reason.
And now that she has been released by Team GB, the rumour mill is rife that Adams could join up with professional promoter Frank Warren, who later today will announce the early schedule for his BoxNation link-up with BT Sport.
She became the first women in history to win an Olympic gold medal for boxing and was nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2012 and 2016.
“Nicola has made a huge contribution to both the Olympic programme,” Rob McCracken, Performance Director of GB Boxing, said, “and the sport of boxing and I would like to thank her for everything she has done for GB Boxing since she joined the squad in 2010.
“She has won everything there is to win and her place in history is secured as the first women to ever win a gold medal for boxing and then top it by winning a second one in Rio.
“She is a superb ambassador and has been a significant part of the success we have enjoyed at GB Boxing in the last eight years. We would have welcomed Nicola staying on for the Tokyo cycle, however we recognise her decision to pursue other opportunities and wish her every success in whatever she goes on to do next.
“Nicola will remain part of the GB Boxing family and will always receive a warm welcome whenever she visits our gym in Sheffield.”
Adams began boxing at the age of twelve and had her first bout a year later. She was the first women to box for England and win a medal in a major tournament when she picked up the bantamweight silver in the European Championships in Denmark in 2007. Silver at the 2008 world championships in China followed, but she faced a career threatening back injury in 2009 which prevented her from boxing for more than a year.
Now, she’s at the top of the tree and ready to move on to the next stage of her career after six years in the GB setup.
Further details regarding the future of Adams will be revealed in due course.
