It is understood that the teenage star, winner of the the 100 metres backstroke in the S14 category for swimmers with learning difficulties at London 2012 and followed that with a 100m breaststroke silver medal at the 2013 World Championships, has made the move due to personal reasons.

Bethany's mother Lindsey claimed the social aspect to the sport is vital for the S14 category teenager and that Britain has other swimmers who have learning disabilities with whom she can relate.

"I want to make it very clear that this has nothing to do with religion, nationality or anything political and it is not about finance either because she will not be receiving any more money," she told the Belfast Telegraph.

"This is about Bethany wanting to be with people who she gets on with, who understand her and Team GB have other S14 swimmers who she is friendly with." 

With Rio 2016 being the ultimate target, Firth's more immediate aim will be qualifying for next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she cannot compete as a disability swimmer but has an outside chance of representing Northern Ireland as an able-bodied competitor.

Firth won further medals for Ireland at this years World Championships in Montreal...but will no longer compete for Ireland ©Getty Images


Firth's case marks the latest example of an athlete from Northern Ireland switching to representing Britain.

This has been seen recently in a report suggesting that Northern Irish boxers should compete for Britain at the Olympics, while it is also an issue relevant to golfers Rory McIlroy and Graham McDowell ahead of the sports debut in Rio.

With Firth one of their biggest stars, the news is also a bitter blow for Paralympics Ireland so soon after the unveiling of a strategic plan to improve upon their eight London 2012 gold medals in Rio.

"We would like to express our gratitude to her for all that she has achieved in her time competing with Team Ireland," they said in a statement following the announcement that permission had been granted  .

"It is always a moment of great pride for Team Ireland when the athletes in whom we have invested so much energy, time and training achieve such great results as those achieved by Bethany.

"Bethany's progress under the Paralympics Ireland High Performance Swimming Programme since joining us serves as a shining example of the potential within us all to achieve greatness.

"Bethany was one of the success stories of London 2012 for Team Ireland, winning as she did our first gold medal of the Games.

"We have no doubt that she would have delivered further success and been an exemplary role model for Team Ireland over the next three years and beyond.

"Ultimately this is a personal decision for Bethany and we wish her all the very best in the future."

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