BARRY-BOXER Andrew Selby, who recently announced he was turning professional, has been released from the World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) for boxing.

The British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) confirmed it reached an agreement with Andrew for the Welsh flyweight to be released.

Selby is no longer in contention for Rio 2016 and will no longer train as part of the GB Boxing squad at its Sheffield base.

He is free to pursue other career opportunities within the sport.

Rob McCracken, performance director at the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) said: “Andrew Selby is one of the finest amateur boxers we have ever produced in Great Britain and has made a significant contribution to the success of the GB Boxing squad in recent years where he has consistently won medals at major tournaments and undeniably proven himself to be one of the best boxers in the world (in AIBA’s various boxing formats).

“It is a disappointment for us that Andrew has decided his future lies away from the GB Boxing squad but he departs with our warmest regards and we wish him every success in his future career.”

Matthew Holt, chief executive of the BABA added: “Andrew has been a big part of the GB Boxing squad for many years. Like other boxers that have represented Great Britain superbly in recent years, he will always be regarded as part of the wider GB Boxing family and he will always be welcome to visit our gym, spend time with our boxers and pass on his skills and experience.”

Andrew Selby joined the GB Boxing squad in 2007 and went on to become one of Great Britain’s most decorated amateur boxers of all time. During his amateur career he has won six medals at World and European Championships and represented Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games.

In 2011, he became the first Welshman for 86 years to win gold at the European Championships in Turkey and went on to retain the title in Belarus in 2013. His two other European medals included silver at the 2010 championships in Moscow and bronze in Liverpool in 2008.

At the World Championships, Selby won silver in 2011 in Azerbaijan, where he narrowly lost the final by one point to Russia’s Misha Ayolan. He also took bronze at the 2013 Championships in Kazakhstan.

In AIBA’s World Series of Boxing, Selby was the number one ranked flyweight in the tournament in seasons 2012-13 and 2013-14 and, in total, won nine of his 10 contests in the competition.