Jessica Ennis-Hill defends Toni Minichiello after his f-word row

Jessica Ennis-Hill has leapt to the defence of her under-fire ex-coach after he was accused of using abusive language towards a former athlete.

Toni Minichiello, who guided Ennis-Hill to heptathlon Olympic gold and silver, and three world titles, was last month given a written warning by British Athletics over his conduct towards an unnamed female athlete.

During the row at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, he allegedly said: “You’re not allowed on this track, f*** off, f*** off, f*** off,” a claim he later described as “insulting and inaccurate”.

And Ennis-Hill told Standard Sport: “I wasn’t there when that situation happened so it’s hard for me to comment on it but I feel very lucky to have met the coach I did in my career. Toni was an amazing coach for me.

“Everyone knows full well we could have an up-and-down relationship like any coach and athlete, but it was a great working relationship and we understood each other really well. He was an amazing coach, and he’s been a big part of my career and my whole life.

“Sure, we’d have days where we’d shout at each other but we’d know when to walk away or have a blazing argument. We got on pretty well most of the time, and always understood each other very well.”

Ennis-Hill retired last October but remains in close contact with Minichiello. “I saw him at the track just the other day,” she said.

Minichiello played down the incident that led to the rebuke as “probably one argument in 15 years of a relationship”. He added: “I think I am a fair and straight-batting coach.”

Meanwhile, Katarina-Johnson Thompson has pulled out of this weekend’s European Athletics Indoor Championships. She had been due to compete in the long jump but was a late withdrawal instead preferring to focus on her outdoor season.