Bankier back to Scotland

In spite of her semi-final berth in the recent Yonex French Open, Imogen Bankier has called it quits with the Team Great Britain performance program and has decided to go back to Scotland, ending her partnership with Chris Adcock.

The duo had reached the final of the World Championships in 2011 before qualifying for the London Olympics in 2012, making it to the quarter-finals there. But this was not enough for the Scottish shuttler.

“The environment and the new programme in Milton Keynes just weren’t working out for me,” said Bankier to the BBC.

“I don’t believe that the Rio Plan and the way it is being implemented will help me to improve as a player. I know that Badminton Scotland will do everything in their power to put the necessary support in place, not just for me, but for the whole team,” she added.

After Robert Blair, who left Milton Keynes last year, Bankier is the second shuttler to leave the Team GB performance program to go back to her native Scotland before the Commonwealth Games, due to be held in Glasgow in 2014. A few months ago, Nathan Robertson had announced the end of his career while he and Jenny Wallwork were just behind Adcock and Bankier – which means that Team GB has lost its two main mixed double pairs within a short time.