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Original poster

Denise Lewis wants a Women's Sports personality of the Year

24 replies

amillionyears · 03/08/2012 12:04

...and Gaby Logan doesnt.
Denise Lewis says Barrry Wiggins is bound to win it this year,and it is uneven/unfair to just have an all round Sports Personality of the Year.
Not sure what I think tbh.

OP posts:
alexpolismum · 03/08/2012 15:49

I think it would be a good idea. It might give women's sports a higher profile - they fight for coverage as it is now.

Original poster
amillionyears · 03/08/2012 16:24

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2182918/Denise-Lewis-Gabby-Logan-clash-BBC-Sports-Personality-prize.html
Yes its a DM online link
I'm in two minds about it.

OP posts:
Original poster
amillionyears · 03/08/2012 16:25

Not sure why I cant link that properly.Sorry

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 03/08/2012 16:31

I think it's a bad idea - it return women to the status of "other" (ie there's the real award, and then the women's one).

What they could perhaps do is remove the editors of what are essentially lads mags from the panel which draws up the short list (or add an equal number of the likes of Good Housekeeping) and consider if any further changes are needed to the panel.

Then perhaps there will be a more interesting list.

It might also help if they would clarify if it's an award for sports achievement, or if it is an award for "personality" (whatever that means).

fivegomadindorset · 03/08/2012 16:32

Great idea, there are too many fantastic sportswomen who are at the top of their game winning world championships all over the place and not one of them was even nominated last year.

piprabbit · 03/08/2012 16:39

Do you mean Bradley Wiggins?

I think it is a bad idea. They don't have a terrible record for awarding women (not great and nowhere near 50%), but I think that fewer women would win the 'big' prize if they were sidelined into their own award.

There have been 13 female winners (I think) since 1954.

QuenelleOJersey2012 · 03/08/2012 16:43

I agree 'personality' is a strange thing to give a sports person an award for.

But I don't think there should be a women's award. Just because 'Barry' Wiggins Grin seems to be a shoo-in for this year's award doesn't mean that men always win it. And if you had an award for women would the original, or main, award then become one for men?

There are plenty of minority sports where no one, male or female, ever gets nominated. But that's not a good reason to have a Minority Sports Personality of the Year Award.

Original poster
amillionyears · 03/08/2012 16:53

oops about "Barry" Grin
I started off this morning thinking,no,but now I'm not so sure.
If a Womens Sports Personality Award was introduced,alongside a Mens Sports Personality Award,I dont think a few years down the line,there would be a great call to make it into a single award.
Agree that the personality bit can be a bit misleading.

OP posts:
WidowWadman · 03/08/2012 19:15

If you make it into two different ones, it kind of makes it into a consolation price "Here women, have your own SPOTY, as you can't cut it against the menz"

Denise34 · 03/08/2012 20:32

Stupid idea. They announce a top 10 of votes, so if a woman doesn't win it, just look what woman got the most votes and call her the women's SPOTY if you want.

madwomanintheattic · 03/08/2012 21:00

Crap idea.

But sort out the judging panel.

It would be jolly lovely if women's achievements were recognized on a par alongside men. Sadly the media still seem to depict women as also-rans, (oh, sorry, girls), so it seems like a distant dream.

A separate prize would prove to the twats that they were right to choose blokes all along, as women aren't good enough to contend alongside their male peer group.

Denise34 · 04/08/2012 21:26

The other year when there was a furore about it because Zoo magazine were in the selection panel, the BBC said they contacted womens magazines but they weren't interested, none of them had a sports editor.

If women watched sport as avidly as men, womens achievements will be recognized on a par alongside men. I don't see that happening soon.

manicinsomniac · 05/08/2012 15:43

Bad idea imo. It will be seen as a secondary award.

Also, I don't think it's anything to do with personality as in character is it? Personality just means a person. It's about being the best and/or most inspiring.

Denise34 · 05/08/2012 15:51

Jessica Ennis will be in with a shout for the award this year but I would think Bradley Wiggins will be the favourite.

Itsjustafleshwound · 05/08/2012 15:55

I think it is a stupid idea - perhaps the award should be split to include a prize for a 'special' event rather than down the lines of sex.

ivykaty44 · 05/08/2012 16:29

it is bound to be a footballer nominated - the lads mags will pick a few footballers to send in for their votes. We never win at football but the way the media harp on about football this and football that you would think there were decent players out there. Then the media get to pick the nominations for the SPOTY and so they are bound to pick footballers or golfers

piprabbit · 05/08/2012 16:35

Only 5 footballers have ever won SPOY since it began - compared to 17 winners from Athletics (7 of which were women).

I'd say that Jessica Ennis is in with a very good chance this year.

ivykaty44 · 05/08/2012 16:41

bradley has won the most medals of any brit olympian and on top won the tour which is just a bit bigger than ennis and her first gold medal- lovely as she is and I do think she is fab

WidowWadman · 05/08/2012 20:49

Yeah, I think it's got to be Wiggins - fantastic achievement and comes across as a very nice and funny bloke, too.

It's a difficult year though, as there's been so much fantastic sporting successes.

floatingquoter · 31/08/2012 12:32

I think denise is probably right. The genders do not compete against each other

merrymouse · 31/08/2012 16:04

I think the problem is that the sports that dominate TV coverage are popular spectator sports, and, for whatever reason, men are more likely to watch sport than women, and the group of men who watch sport without taking part is pretty large, but the group of women who watch but don't play sport is (IME) miniscule.

I'd love to see more depth to women's sport coverage. However, I don't really have the interest in sitting watching it that would persuade the TV programmers. (Although I'm happy to take part).

rosy71 · 31/08/2012 18:21

Hmmm, I remember thinking about this at the time. With the best will in the world, the women's prize will always be second best. As it stands atm, women do sometimes win it - in fact Denise herself did. It would be much better if the profile of women's sport was raised so more women are seen to be taking part.

edam · 01/09/2012 18:05

Denise, I don't think that lets the Beeb off the hook - they wouldn't have an all-white list, would they? So magazines weren't a fruitful source of nominations, big deal, you then look elsewhere, fgs. It's not that hard. Especially for an organisation that has diversity policies (that are hardly worth the paper they are written on if you look at the representation of women e.g. in the news or on Radio 4 or in any other area apart from 'blonde, young and in a junior role to a man'.

gregssausageroll · 02/09/2012 20:02

I thinkmo farrah will win.

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