BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards in meltdown as Olympic champion Greg … – Daily Mail

Greg Rutherford has threatened to withdraw from the Sports Personality of the Year award list unless Tyson Fury is removed over his homophobic comments.

The boxer’s invite to the British Sports Awards also taken away by the Sports Journalists’ Association due to previous ‘threats’ made towards members.

Fury was a controversial addition to the BBC list after securing the world heavyweight boxing title because of comments he made about the gay community, controversially comparing homosexuality to paedophilia in an explosive interview in the Mail on Sunday last month.

Since Fury’s selection on a 12-person shortlist a debate has raged over his suitability for the award. 

Greg Rutherford will pull out of the Sports Personality of the Year nominations if Tyson Fury (right) remains

Greg Rutherford will pull out of the Sports Personality of the Year nominations if Tyson Fury (right) remains

Fury (right) has courted controversy following his public views on women and and homosexuals

Fury (right) has courted controversy following his public views on women and and homosexuals

Rutherford has told the BBC he has serious concerns about remaining part of the show if Fury does likewise
Fury pictured out on Wednesday

Rutherford has told the BBC he has serious concerns about remaining part of the show if Fury does likewise

The 27-year-old Fury posted this meme on Wednesday morning along with the tweet 'The end is near repent of your sins, Remember what the bible says,!' via his Twitter social media account

The 27-year-old Fury posted this meme on Wednesday morning along with the tweet ‘The end is near repent of your sins, Remember what the bible says,!’ via his Twitter social media account

Rutherford smiles after winning gold at the World Championships in China during the summer

Rutherford smiles after winning gold at the World Championships in China during the summer

Fury holds the world heavyweight title belts he won from Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf last month

Fury holds the world heavyweight title belts he won from Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf last month

SJA’S STATEMENT ON FURY 

The Sports Journalists’ Association, organisers of the British Sports Awards in London on December 17, has withdrawn its invitation to Tyson Fury, the world heavyweight champion, to attend the event.

The officers of the SJA took the decision reluctantly, since the British Sports Awards seek to recognise the year’s great sporting achievements, which include Fury’s heavyweight world title win. But the decision was made as a consequence of threats made by Fury against at least one sports journalist, an SJA member, who has written about the boxer’s repugnant comments on homosexuality and women.

The SJA’s British Sports Awards are the country’s oldest annual sporting awards event, staged since 1949. The SJA is the largest organisation of professional sports journalists in the world. The SJA’s Sportswoman, Team and Sportsman of the Year are selected by a vote of its members.

But the BBC will now have to take a tough decision after apparently being informed by Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth long jump champion Rutherford that he had serious concerns about remaining part of the programme, due to be screened live from Belfast on December 20.

BBC bosses are concerned that Rutherford may not be alone among the 12, fearing others could follow and so force them to remove Fury from the list.

And on Wednesday, Sports Journalists’ Association went a step further by removing him from their British Sports Awards in London on December 17.

In a statement on their website the officers of the SJA took the decision ‘reluctantly’ but it ‘was made as a consequence of threats made by Fury against at least one sports journalist, an SJA member, who has written about the boxer’s repugnant comments on homosexuality and women.’ 

A spokesman for the SJA said: ‘We are aware of threats made by Tyson Fury against one of our members, and therefore feel that it would be incompatible with the nature of our event, or the interests of our members, our other guests and our sponsors, for us to continue to extend a welcome to Tyson Fury to our awards next week.’ 

On Wednesday morning, Fury tweeted: ‘The end is near repent of your sins, Remember what the bible says,!’ [sic] along with a meme. The image which depicts his celebration after beating Wladimir Klitschko reads: ‘Take my belts sign your petitions but you will never take this night from me #history #andthenew.’

Rutherford’s stance is the latest problem for the BBC to consider over keeping Fury on the 12-man shortlist, after he appeared in an online video in which he says Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill ‘slaps up good’.

The new world heavyweight champion is shown in footage on YouTube giving his views on women and says: ‘A woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back, that’s my personal belief.’

One of the BBC’s employees, Andy West has been ‘reprimanded with action’ after lashing out the organisation’s inclusion of Fury on their shortlist.

Andy West has hit out on social media over the BBC's decision on naming Fury in their 12-person shortlist

Andy West has hit out on social media over the BBC’s decision on naming Fury in their 12-person shortlist

An online petition has collected more than 122,000 signatures demanding Fury is removed from the list

An online petition has collected more than 122,000 signatures demanding Fury is removed from the list

Fury (right) beat Klitschko on a unanimous points decision on November 28 in Germany

Fury (right) beat Klitschko on a unanimous points decision on November 28 in Germany

Fury has questioned why his comments on another nominee, Jessica Ennis-Hill, are regarded as sexist

Fury has questioned why his comments on another nominee, Jessica Ennis-Hill, are regarded as sexist

Fury said that Olympic champion Ennis-Hill thinks 'slaps up good' and she 'looks good in a dress' 

Fury said that Olympic champion Ennis-Hill thinks ‘slaps up good’ and she ‘looks good in a dress’ 

According to the Belfast Telegraph, he wrote on his Facebook: ‘My employer is hurting me and other gay people by celebrating someone who considers me no better than a paedophile and who believes homosexual people are helping to bring about the end of the world.

‘It’s tempting to see him for the laughable idiot he is but sadly there are many other idiots who will be inspired and encourage by his naive, juvenile bigotry. I am ashamed to work for the BBC when it lacks bravery to admit it is making a mistake.

‘I criticise the BBC for offering him as an idol to be celebrated and admired not just for his sporting achievements but also his “personality”.’

A BBC source told BuzzFeed News that as a result of his comments West, who is a news reporter for BBC NI, was ‘reprimanded by a manager, told an investigation would be launched into his conduct and warned he could be suspended.’

West also reportedly sent an email to Tony Hall – the BBC Director General. Leaked to BuzzFeed it reads: ‘I appeal to you as an equal opportunities employer and proud bastion of fair-thinking to consider whether it is appropriate to celebrate someone who has stated that gay people are sign of a coming Armageddon and equates homosexuals to paedophiles.’

‘Can it be that my own employer is happy to suggest that this individual is an example for us to follow?’

A BBC spokesperson said: ‘We do not routinely comment on individual staff matters.’

Boxing promoter Kellie Maloney believes the sport's authorities should take collective action against Fury

Boxing promoter Kellie Maloney believes the sport’s authorities should take collective action against Fury

Meanwhile, promoter Kellie Maloney has called for world boxing authorities to take collective action against Fury over his comments.

The promoter told BBC Breakfast that Fury’s achievement in the ring was ‘fantastic’ but his comments outside it ‘leave a lot to be desired’.

She said: ‘I believe the (British Boxing) Board of Control are having a hearing today. They will discuss it and he will be called up in front of the board but what can they do to him? They can fine him. It means all the world governing bodies should take some action against him.

‘I think his comments will harm him to get endorsements. I don’t think you will see the likes of adidas, Nike or any of the blue chip companies wanting to endorse Tyson Fury. I think he has made a terrible mistake and his management team should have realised this because they know what he is like.’

Maloney’s comments come after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed they were investigating hate crime allegations against the boxer.

Fury said in an interview with Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2 this week: ‘Homosexuality, abortion and paedophilia – them three things need to be accomplished before the world finishes. That’s what the Bible tells me.’ 

After that clip was played on Victoria Derbyshire’s BBC Two show, a spokeswoman for GMP said: ‘At 10:30am (on Tuesday) we received a report of a hate crime following comments made about homosexuality on the Victoria Derbyshire programme.

‘As with all allegations of hate crime we are taking the matter extremely seriously and will be attending the victim’s address to take a statement in due course.’

Fury, with wife Paris, attended cousin Hughie Fury's fight on Saturday night at Westcroft Leisure Centre

Fury, with wife Paris, attended cousin Hughie Fury’s fight on Saturday night at Westcroft Leisure Centre

Fury first aired his views on homosexuality in an interview with the Mail on Sunday

Fury first aired his views on homosexuality in an interview with the Mail on Sunday

An online petition, set up by LGBT campaigner Scott Cuthbertson, has collected more than 122,000 signatures demanding he is removed from the list but the BBC does not intend to alter the initial selections.

The footage has a publication date of November 25 and, when asked his opinion on women in boxing, Fury focused on the ring girls rather than athletes.

‘I like them actually, they give me inspiration, when I’m tired and I see them wiggling around with their round two, round eight…I think women in boxing is very good,’ he said.

‘But I believe 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.’

Ennis-Hill, who returned to action this year after giving birth and overcoming injury, is also on the 12-person shortlist for the BBC award, which will be handed out in Belfast on December 20.

The panel who selected the dozen candidates includes the director of BBC Sport Barbara Slater, former England international Jermaine Jenas, presenter Hazel Irvine and journalists from the Times, Guardian and Sun.

The BBC said although the corporation did not endorse his views, he would not be dropped.

A BBC spokesman told Sportsmail: ‘Tyson Fury’s victory and subsequent crowning as world heavy weight champion was widely covered by media outlets and his inclusion on the shortlist is similarly recognition of his sporting achievement – it is not about endorsing his personal views.

‘It will be for the public to decide who will be crowned Sports Personality of the Year 2015.’

THE STORY THAT INFURIATED FURY

Tyson Fury is sitting on a sofa in his hotel room. His bed is unmade. A pillow lies on the floor. An empty water bottle sits on the table. Apart from that, the room is bare. The conversation has just started and Fury is talking in a stream of consciousness, fast and freely. Things turn dark very, very quickly.

‘We live in an evil world,’ he says. ‘The devil is very strong at the minute, very strong, and I believe the end is near. The bible tells me the end is near. The world tells me the end is near. Just a short few years, I reckon, away from being finished.

‘Abusing the planet, the wars in the Middle East, the famines, the earthquakes, the natural disasters, all these things are talked about 2000 years ago before they even happened. Prophesised. So now it’s all coming true…’

CLICK HERE FOR OLIVER HOLT’S FULL MAIL ON SUNDAY FEATURE 

Fury (right) spoke candidly with chief sports writer Oliver Holt in a recorded interview in Bolton last month

Fury (right) spoke candidly with chief sports writer Oliver Holt in a recorded interview in Bolton last month

HOW WE GOT HIM TAPED… 

Read word for word what Tyson Fury said in The Mail on Sunday’s interview last month… ‘There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the Devil comes home. One of them is homosexuality being legal in countries, one of them is abortion and the other is paedophilia. So who would have thought in the Fifties and early Sixties that those first two would be legalised.

‘This is a free world we live in and an evil world. For me, people can say, ‘Oh, you’re against abortions and you’re against paedophilia, you’re against homosexuality, you’re against whatever’, but my faith and my culture is all based on the Bible. The Bible was written a long time ago, wasn’t it, from the beginning of time until now, so if I follow that and that tells me it’s wrong, then it’s wrong for me.’

CLICK HERE for full transcript and audio 

Fury first aired his views on homosexuality in an interview with the Mail on Sunday before he beat long-reigning champion Klitschko in Dusseldorf last month.

In his interview with Oliver Holt, in which he also labelled Klitschko ‘a devil-worshipper’, the boxer said: ‘There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home: one of them is homosexuality being legal in countries, one of them is abortion and the other one’s paedophilia.

‘Who would have thought in the 50s and 60s that those first two would be legalised?

‘When I say paedophiles can be made legal, that sounds like crazy talk doesn’t it? But back in the 50s and early 60s, for them first two to be made legal would have been looked on as a crazy man again.’

Fury has continually claimed that he was misquoted by Holt before issuing his threats.

He was filmed with his entourage, pointing to a member he referred to as ‘big Shane’, who Fury said will break Holt’s jaw.

‘See ‘big Shane’ there. He’s 6ft 6in and 25 stone. He’s going break his (Holt’s) jaw completely with one straight right hand. I won’t do it as I’ll get in trouble but the big fella there will annihilate him,’ Fury said.

‘Oliver, take a good look at him because that’s the face you’re going to see before you hit the deck.’

Sportsmail responded last week by publishing Holt’s audio recording of the Fury interview along with the entire transcript of their meeting.