Fear Tom Daley could quit diving over criticism of TV work
Tom Daley's coach fears the Plymouth Olympian could quit diving amid criticism of his media commitments.
18-year-old Tom has been repeatedly criticised by leading figures in British and international diving for his media and commercial work.
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Tom Daley on the set of Splash!
Yesterday the chief executive of British Swimming, David Sparkes, said Tom should concentrate on his sport - not TV commitments like the new ITV series Splash!.
Today, Andy Banks, who is also a judge on the Saturday show, told The Telegraph the constant "grief" could drive World Champion gold medallist Tom out of competitive diving.
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He said: “There’s a danger here that if Tom gets too much grief all the time then he’ll say, ‘I’m quite enjoying my TV stuff. Diving was great but I’ve done it for 10 years, so see you later. I’m off’. That wouldn’t do anyone any good as far as our sport is concerned."
He added: "At the moment he is still in a position where he really enjoys what he’s doing, but watch this space.”
The final episode of Splash! is on February 2, six days before the start of the British Gas Diving Championships.
Andy told The Telegraph Tom was just trying to provide for his family.
He said: "Our top athletes have to work to earn a living."
He added: "I struggle a little bit with people who turn round and say you shouldn’t do this, that or the other when they are on six-figure salaries."
Comments
by realist1955
Friday, January 11 2013, 9:25PM
“yawn”
by grumpygit
Thursday, January 10 2013, 8:45AM
“IMO Tom's being mismanaged and exploited to the max. Just look how Chris Webb jumped on the postbox bandwagon to further his own standing. PCC will plug him at every opportunity to big up the Life Centre. The Herald will publish stories to sell papers and on & on it goes. Tom doesn't make a penny out of this BS.
If I was Tom I'd consider leaving UK for a while, find a lucrative sponsorship deal or something that'll take me up to the next Olympics and train as hard as the Chinese. Winning that gold will earn him far more £ in the long term. If he fails winning gold he'll still have earnt enough respect to keep him in employment and a decent living for a lifetime.”
by trashbag1
Thursday, January 10 2013, 7:11AM
“Country boy think you got me wrong, I said Francis never got mentioned. Tom is not a great yet, he has not achieved enough, is he changing the lives of other like John Lennon did, he is a celb and we have enough of them. I think he has an amazing swimming career ahead of him but needs to stay out of the spotlight as I fear it could end.”
by grumpygit
Thursday, January 10 2013, 5:44AM
“I think Tom is caught between a rock & a hard place TBH and is receiving some poor advice from people who represent him along the way.
It's easy for us to say he should concentrate on his diving but that alone doesn't pay the bills. Obviously tat TV shows like Splash will pocket some decent cash but at what long term cost? Somewhere there needs to be a balance where he can continue with his diving and earn a decent living while his stock is high. I'm sure both could be achieved without the need for junk TV which could potentially ruin him.”
by NthCountryBoy
Thursday, January 10 2013, 2:31AM
“Trashbag really sums up all that is bad in Plymouth. "He found the world you know"!”
by Smith83
Thursday, January 10 2013, 1:11AM
“What is wrong with Plymothians? We should be praising the young lad for doing something positive with his life instead of being a drugged up dole waller. A bronze medal at the Olympics at the age of 18 is amazing!
Who was the last person Plymouth could be proud of Trevor Francis?”
by tango221
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 11:37PM
“jabbathebut miserable, jealous, and snide it's all there in the comments. Plymouth has been underachieving for decades and plymothians want nothing that shows them what they could actually achieve if they pulled their fingers out. It's a free country, he can make what choices he wants without anyone questioning him.”
by PL1Plym
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 11:19PM
“Has he come out yet?”
by CharlieDodd
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 11:00PM
“..Article quote- '18-year-old Tom has been repeatedly criticised by leading figures in British and international diving for his media and commercial work'..
Do what YOU want to do Tom mate, for example you're still only 18 so you might want to devote the next 4 years of your life to training for Olympic Gold, and that's fine.
Alternatively if you want to retire from diving and go into TV and stuff that's fine too.
A third alternative would be to train for the next Olympics AND do TV work at the same time, and that's fine too..:)”
by catdaddy1214
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 10:52PM
“I'm not a fan of his, mostly due to not caring about sports, but I don't understand the hate towards him. I say let him enjoy his moment of fame while it lasts. Can hardly blame the chap for trying to make the most of the situation he's in and making some easy money, because let's face it - who wouldn't being given a chance?”