Sports Personality of the Year 2015

[DaveD]

I'd never heard of Tyson Fury until last weekend. And when I heard it, I thought he was probably from the USA...

Same here. I'd never heard of him and even after the fight, I just assumed he was an American.

The reading I've done since suggests that him being World Champion is not something that this country should be proud of.

He's a boxer, not a politician. Don't agree with a word of what he says but I believe in free speech and will defend his right to say it. Be proud of him for what he does in the ring.

By the same token, I have the right to say I think he's a great fighter, a religious nut job and a complete bell end. As do you. From a distance, obviously...

[DaveD]

Just remembered - whatever happened to that campaign to get Nigel Owens nominated  ?

I would have backed that for sure...

[dave.woodhall]

I'd never heard of Tyson Fury until last weekend. And when I heard it, I thought he was probably from the USA...

Same here. I'd never heard of him and even after the fight, I just assumed he was an American.

The reading I've done since suggests that him being World Champion is not something that this country should be proud of.

Sorry Des, it's all about winning.

[paul_e]

I'd never heard of Tyson Fury until last weekend. And when I heard it, I thought he was probably from the USA...

Same here. I'd never heard of him and even after the fight, I just assumed he was an American.

The reading I've done since suggests that him being World Champion is not something that this country should be proud of.

Sorry Des, it's all about winning.

I actually agree with the sentiment of the 2nd quote, in regard to awards at least.  The thing is when you have 11 winners (and someone who was part of a team that came 3rd) there needs to be something to help one or two rise above, and being an arsehole isn't going to do that.

[themossman]

That's the thing for me. It's impossible to assess the relative worthiness of the achievements of a winner in one sport versus another. So this purely symbolic award, for me, should be about rewarding someone with something beyond their god given sporting talent. Like not being a massive bigot.

On the same basis if, hypothetically, Suarez was British then I would have been against him winning it during the year he lit up the premier league, because he is also a racist.

I realise it should also not be a popularity contest and there is a question about where you draw the line. So, for example, Murray and Wiggins are great sportsmen but annoying chippy dick heads. I do not believe that should count against them. But racism and homophobia are different in my book.

[ACVilla]

It looks as if this Tyson Fury homophobic furore is going to a massive story very, very soon. It wouldn't surprise me if he withdrew himself from the list eventually and lost sponsorship etc

When all the clamour is for sports men and women to come out and be proud of it, it can hardly be helpful to recognise a high profile sporting world champion who is a self confessed homophobe.

44,721 signatures on the change.org petition and rapidly rising.

[rob_bridge]

Jessica for me

[UK Redsox]

I'd never heard of Tyson Fury until last weekend. And when I heard it, I thought he was probably from the USA...

Same here. I'd never heard of him and even after the fight, I just assumed he was an American.

The reading I've done since suggests that him being World Champion is not something that this country should be proud of.

Sorry Des, it's all about winning.

hang on a minute Head Dave, how can I be quoted as saying something in August on a thread that was started in November?

if you're going to pull a quote off another thread to try to make a point, at least give it some context by stating which thread you've used.

.....and yes, sport is all about winning but this thread is about awarding someone an honour that's not directly related to the sporting event that they won.

[dave.woodhall]

I'd never heard of Tyson Fury until last weekend. And when I heard it, I thought he was probably from the USA...

Same here. I'd never heard of him and even after the fight, I just assumed he was an American.

The reading I've done since suggests that him being World Champion is not something that this country should be proud of.

Sorry Des, it's all about winning.

hang on a minute Head Dave, how can I be quoted as saying something in August on a thread that was started in November?

if you're going to pull a quote off another thread to try to make a point, at least give it some context by stating which thread you've used.

.....and yes, sport is all about winning but this thread is about awarding someone an honour that's not directly related to the sporting event that they won.

Either that or it's double standards. To suit one argument sport is all about winning but for another winning doesn't matter.

[UK Redsox]

Sport itself is about winning but this is an awards show.

[dave.woodhall]

And what we were talking about was a definition of 'greatest', which in itself is an award.

[lovejoy]

I used to love this programme but have lost interest ever since they gave it to Ryan Giggs for playing about 10 games that season.
Mo Farah would be a controversial choice as he still has those drug allegations hanging around.
Lewis Hamilton is in the best car and is in a sport where realistically only very few can be champion.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I'd never heard of Tyson Fury until last weekend. And when I heard it, I thought he was probably from the USA...

Same here. I'd never heard of him and even after the fight, I just assumed he was an American.

The reading I've done since suggests that him being World Champion is not something that this country should be proud of.

He's a boxer, not a politician. Don't agree with a word of what he says but I believe in free speech and will defend his right to say it. Be proud of him for what he does in the ring.

By the same token, I have the right to say I think he's a great fighter, a religious nut job and a complete bell end. As do you. From a distance, obviously...

Agreed, he's not bad for a thieving Gypsy bastard

[TopDeck113]

Has the number of people signing the petition wanting Fury to be removed from the SPOTY short list now exceeded the number of people who vote on the night?

Whilst I'm odds with just about every utterance that has come out of Fury's mouth on the subject of gender roles, sexuality and religion, please, please BBC stand firm on this.  SPOTY should be about sporting achievement. Nothing more, nothing less.

And look at the roll call of previous winners.  If you're so minded there is plenty to object to in: future Tory MPs (Chris Chataway and Seb Coe), cheer-leaders for Thatcherism (Steve Davis and Nick Faldo), members of the Royal family (Zara and mother), non-PC rent-a-gobs (Daley "Is the world's second best athlete gay?" Thompson) and tax-exiles (just about every motor racing recipient).  However, quite rightly, those weren't the reasons for them either winning - or not winning - the trophy.

[Exeter 77]

If it was competition of sporting achievement I think it should go to Mo Farah for retaining two world titles (and due to my secret athletics obsession). If it was purely based on personality Fury should win on the basis he has one, even if he has some very dubious points of view, but not yet for sporting achievement. If Fury were to retain his belts and prove the win over Klitscho wasn't a fluke he would have the combination of achievement and personality which the award is supposedly designed for.