Athletics fans stunned at British world champion BBC Sports Personality snub
The Scot won 1500m gold at the World Athletics Championships this year.
UK Athletics chief Jack Buckner has blasted the “staggeringly bad decision” to omit British middle distance runner Josh Kerr from the shortlist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Kerr produced one of the highlights of 2023 when he won gold in the 1500m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, beating reigning Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
But the Scot was not among the six-strong shortlist for the BBC’s annual award, headed by Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps and former England cricketer Stuart Broad.
Jockey Frankie Dettori, wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, golfer Rory McIlroy and heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson complete the list.
UKA chief executive Buckner wrote: “I love #SPOTY and congrats to everyone involved and all the short-listed contenders but no Josh Kerr is a staggeringly bad decision.”
Former Olympian Susan Egelstaff added: “No Josh Kerr??!! Disgrace.”
Kerr’s omission raised eyebrows after he was last week named Scottish male athlete of the year and came second in the Sports Journalists’ Association awards.
“No Josh Kerr? Made more sense the year they tried to interview Red Rum…” wrote Rick Broadbent, sports writer for The Times.
“Josh Kerr robbed, plenty on here who have won nothing this year let alone a world title,” added James McCrae.
Sports editor James Toney of Sportsbeat called it a “glaring omission”, while the Telegraph’s Oliver Brown labelled it “ludicrous”.
The award will be handed out in a gala show at the BBC’s Salford studios on Tuesday 19 December.
