Adam Peaty is reportedly taking time out from swimming as he faces another "crisis" following his family rift. The Olympian returned to the pool for the Commonwealth Games before competing in the European Aquatics Championships, where he finished fifth in the 100m breaststroke and fourth in the mixed medley relay. He also missed out on qualifying for the 50m breaststroke semi-final in the same championships.
Family Dispute Continues
The situation originated last year, when his parents were disinvited from his wedding to Holly Ramsay. Months later, the rift continues, with Adam recently appearing to allude to the speculation surrounding his swimming career. The Ramsay family, including parents-in-law Gordon and Tana Ramsay and wife Holly Ramsay, have been backing him as he weighs up his options following a difficult spell in the swimming heats.
Support From Close Circle
A source told The Sun: "But to have built himself back up again after the disappointment in Glasgow, only to crash out in Paris, is beyond brutal. The pressure on him as a triple Olympic champion and world-record holder is huge, and this year he also had the pressure of knowing what success in the pool would do for his profile outside of it."
"To have fallen short on such a prominent stage has been crushing for him and he is taking some time out. There has been a complete blackout around him for the past week and he is being supported by the close-knit circle around him who will help him work out where he wants to go from here. There is also lot of thought going into how he and Holly now handle this publicly."
Peaty's Principles
In a recent interview, Adam stood firm on his principles amid the family dispute. He said: "I've got very tough skin that has been built quite aggressively over this last six months especially. But for me, it doesn't really matter, to be honest.
"I know what my values are. I know what my morals are. I know my principles," he insisted. I can look myself in the mirror and be at peace with myself, knowing the person I am."
Steering the conversation back towards swimming, he added: "I think a lot of athletes try and seek that as much as they can. But at the end of the day, no matter what way we look at it, it's two lengths of a swimming pool. We're just trying to do it as fast as we can."
Response to Criticism
Elsewhere during his BBC Breakfast appearance, Adam responded to presenter Naga Munchetty's suggestion that people did like him, acknowledging that while some may not, he strives to improve himself each day. He said: "Sometimes I don't feel like [people do like me], to be honest. But I'm just me. I try and be a little bit better than I was yesterday. And if people agree with that, then fine. If people don't, then that's also fine."
