Campaign against Tyson Fury being on BBC SPOTY shortlist

[grimbletart]

Even if you are not a sports fan please consider signing this campaign against Tyson Fury being one of the 10 sports people on the shortlist for Sports Personality of the Year.

Not content with condemning homosexuality and abortion some days ago, for which he was rightly roundly criticised, he has now given his views on the role of women.

Fury originally said of Ennis-Hill: "“That’s the runner, isn’t it? I think she's good, she's won quite a few medals for Britain, she slaps up good as well, when she's got a dress on she looks quite fit.

He later added of women in boxing: “I’m all for it. I’m not sexist.

"I think they are very nice when they're walking around that ring holding them cards.

"I believe if a man should go to work all his life, a woman can go to work as well. If you're not good enough, you won't make it anyway. Who am I to say don't you do that because you're a girl? What I believe is a woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back. That’s my personal belief. Making me a good cup of tea, that’s what I believe.”

www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/boxing/tyson-fury-twitter-message-jessica-ennis-hill-sexist-spoty-petition-a6761426.html

www.change.org/p/the-bbc-should-remove-homophobic-tyson-fury-from-sports-personality-of-the-year-shortlist

Don't suppose the Beeb will listen for one moment - they don't have a good record on acting on complaints, but it would be good to register feelings.

OneMoreCasualty, yes Lucy Bronze is on the shortlist, quite rightly so.

I've signed. I doubt it will actually do anything, but i want to be counted amongst those who think this is Not On. Thanks for the link, i'd been meaning to look for it when i saw it on the news

As a random side question, does change.org think that anyone else is spanish, or just me?

Should the contenders for a public vote be censored due to political views? Where does it end and who decides what is wrong enough to be taken off the list?
If the public disagree with his views, they will not vote for him, if they do, they do - banning him will not change the voters minds or opinions.

I've never heard of him.

I have however heard of Jessica Ennis-Hill which says a lot.

Ds wants to vote for Lucy Bronze

Carol, I'd be very surprised if the BBC would have endorsed eg a white sports star in this way (by short listing him) if they'd said, for example, "black runners are fast because they trained by running away from crime scenes"

This isn't a "public" vote in the way that a council election is; the Bbc are preselecting the short list and this selection is misguided.

The selection is based on sporting achievements, not opinions, or should be. 40 years ago, the internet would be having a discussion about whether a gay athlete should be on the list, now we discuss whether one is homophobic.
They should go on the list for sporting achievement and then the public decide depending on their own criteria.

It's the word 'personality' that makes it seem as thought there should be more than just sporting achievements involved.

He is a vile creature, spouting off and antagonising so many people and then hiding behind his uncle and a book. Not very brave for a pugilist!

If he wins, he wins. But he will still be the kind of man we read about every day... sees nothing wrong with the domestic subjugation of women and equates non traditional masculinity with weakness and deviancy.

Well, remember the year not one woman had a single sporting achievement? (Despite many women doing rather well) Or perhaps it meant no woman had a ...er sports personality? That was lousy selection. I see they've changed their selection process for the better - as they should.

I wouldn't block him though. Give the guy enough rope, etc, etc.

I would play down the importance of this contest. Like, what was it? Glamours women of the year: this sort of thing is meaningless, self-promoting pap.

Well said Clive. It really does take men make to call this out.

www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/dec/08/bbc-presenter-calls-boxer-tyson-fury-dickhead-on-live-tv

Agreed Helmet - I would be very happy to support the contest being disbanded. It seems so surreal - these are sports people who have all spent most of the year winning, they wouldn't be in contention otherwise. So having already won prizes we have to award them a prize for winning prizes? Eh? It's not the Oscars, Meryl Streep doesn't get a prize at the end of the film just for finishing it in record time or whatever! (Although clearly she should).

BBC being questioned about nomination and Fury being questioned on hate speech. Good.