By Sachin Nakrani in London/The Guardian
The BBC has no plans to remove Tyson Fury from the shortlist for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award for 2015 despite the emergence of an interview with the recently-crowned world heavyweight champion in which he makes a string of sexist comments, with some directed at Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill.
The interview was filmed by online boxing channel IFL TV and took place in Dusseldorf just prior to Fury’s fight against Wladimir Klitschko there last weekend, when the 27-year-old secured the Ukrainian’s WBA, IBF and WBO belts via a unanimous points decision.
In the video, which lasts over an hour, Fury is seen and heard saying “a woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on their back” and, in his response to his views on Ennis-Hill: “She slaps up good, dresses up well, when’s she’s got a dress on she looks quite fit.”
This is not the first time the outspoken Fury has drawn criticism for making controversial comments. Prior to his fight against Klitschko he compared homosexuality and abortion to paedophilia in an interview with the Mail on Sunday, something which has led to the creation of an online petition by LGBT campaigner Scott Cuthbertson, calling on Fury’s name to be struck off the 12-person Sports Personality of the Year shortlist.
As of Friday afternoon the petition had over 45,700 signatures, but despite this and the IFL TV interview, the BBC has said Fury will remain in the running for their annual award having become the eighth heavyweight champion to come from these shores.
A spokesperson said: “The Sports Personality shortlist is compiled by a panel of industry experts and is based on an individual’s sporting achievement—it is not an endorsement of an individual’s personal beliefs either by the BBC or members of the panel.”
Fury is among the favourites to win Spoty—which this year will be presented at the SSE Arena in Belfast on December 20—alongside Ennis-Hill following a year in which the 29-year-old returned from the birth of her first child to secure a gold medal at the World Championships in Beijing in August.
Amid growing criticism of his interview, Fury insisted on Friday that he did not want to win the award, tweeting: “Hopefully I don’t win BBCSPOTY as I’m not the best roll model in the world for the kids, give it to someone who would appreciate it.”
In the interview, which is dated November 25, three days before the Klitschko fight, Fury is seen eating a meal alongside members of his entourage.
Having reiterated his contempt for homosexuality—he claims “the Gay Rights Act of 1977 backed in favour paedophilia being legalised in the UK”—the fighter, who is a devout Christian, is asked by the presenter what his views are on women in boxing.
“I think they’re very nice when they’re walking around that ring holding them cards,” he replies. “I like them actually, they give me inspiration, when I’m tired and I see a good sort walking, wriggling about.”
Fury then claims he is “not a sexist” before going on to say “a woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on their back. That’s just my personal beliefs. Making me a good cup of tea, that’s what I believe.”
Regarding Ennis-Hill, he adds: “That’s the runner isn’t it? I think she’s good, she won quite a few medals for Great Britain. And she slaps up good, dresses up well, when’s she’s got a dress on she looks quite fit.”
Ennis-Hill has declined to comment on Fury’s remarks. His promoter Mick Hennessy has spoken, however, in order to defend the fighter, telling the Guardian: “Tyson is a playful character and he often says these things tongue-in-cheek. He likes winding people up, being controversial for the sake of it and more often than not what he says is in jest. I can tell you he’s a really good, genuine guy who means no one any harm.”
