Ben Fouhy hits back over criticism

KENT BLECHYNDEN/The Dominion Post

MEDALLIST: Ben Fouhy in the kayak single 1000m men's final at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

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Olympic kayaking silver medallist Ben Fouhy claims a breakdown of his relationship with coach Ian Ferguson was behind his decision to quit the sport.

Fouhy ruled himself out of the team that will contest the World Championships by failing to turn up at the national trials last week.

Ferguson was quoted in the Sunday Star Times saying Fouhy was intense and competitive and could be a "pain in the butt".

"He's a great athlete but a very complex character. He's so intense he gets confused in his mind about how he wants to do it. He hates to lose and he's so competitive that sometimes that's been his undoing - it's just the way he is," Ferguson said.

Fouhy told RadioSport today he was forced to go public with his frustrations after the criticism by Ferguson and his son Steven, who he competed with in the K2 at the Athens Olympics.

"What this has done is it has opened the door for the public to see, through their demonstration, what type of environment I've been involved in," Fouhy said.

"For me, I'm very disappointed because Canoe Racing New Zealand have decided not to make a statement.

"It's not about Ben Fouhy, World Champion, world record holder, NZ Sportsman of the Year getting a copping here, I can handle that, I didn't do this to be famous."

Meanwhile, sports funding agency SPARC has cut Fouhy's nearly $50,000 a year performance enhancement grant in the wake of his decision to quit the sport.

SPARC claimed he received the money last year despite not competing, but Fouhy said they didn't want the money when he offered to give it back last year after deciding to take a sabbatical after the Olympics.

Fouhy said after this recent bout of criticism he is unlikely to ever return to the sport.

- © Fairfax NZ News