The nominations for this year’s Sports Personality of the Year 2011 have been revealed and the absence of any female athletes on the shortlist has sparked a huge online debate from athletes and sports fans alike.
Triathlon World Champion Chrissie Wellington, Rowing World Champion Kath Grainger, Swimming World champions Keri-Anne Payne and Rebecca Adlington to name a few, have all failed to make the top ten.
Wellington tweeted today, “No women in @bbcspoty top ten. Its not about me, its about the need to celebrate achievements of so many female GBR athletes. Disgraceful.”
Adlington was also critical,”Think there has been some great women in sport this year including my best friend @KeriannePayne and sad they haven’t been recognised,” She tweeted,”Hopefully next year can be all women nominations after London 2012!!!!”
BBC presenter Gabby Logan also took to Twitter to share her disappointment, “I can’t think of anything to say about there being NO women on #SPOTY top 10 list that is positive so I won’t say anything,” adding the hashtag “#backward”.
The judging panel has taken much criticism for it’s final decision on the shortlist. The mens magazines Nuts and Zoo have both come under fire for failing to nominate any female athletes, while the Manchester Evening News’s nominations were criticised for their parochialism; two of their nominations went to the Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov and the retired Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira.
Here at Sportsister we have started an online petition to get people talking and sharing their opinions on this year’s nominations. Do you think it is the right decision that no British sportswoman has been recognised for her achievement over the past year?
Visit us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/Sportsister and let us know.
Lizzie Flint, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
