BBC meeting notes demanded by British athlete as Sports Personality of the Year controversy escalates
Josh Kerr surprisingly won gold in Budapest
PA
Josh Kerr wants to see the "minutes of the meeting" from the BBC panel that decided this year's Sports Personality of the Year nominees list.
The six-person list for this year's SPOTY has caused some controversy with sports fans picking out some big omissions.
The biggest of all was arguably Great Britain's Kerr, who produced one of the sporting highlights of 2023 at the World Championships.
The Scottish middle-distance runner has the misfortune of competing in the 1500m at a time when Ingebrigtsen has been breaking all kinds of records.
Josh Kerr beat Jakob Ingebrigtsen to gold
PA
But just like Jake Wightman in 2022, Kerr shocked the world when he pipped Ingebrigtsen to gold in the World Championships.
The Norwegian was the heavy favourite to clinch his first World Championship gold at the 1500m distance after last year's disappointment.
He had smashed the European record just a few months earlier, running nearly two seconds quicker than Kerr's personal best time.
But Kerr produced when it mattered most in Budapest to take gold in one of Great Britain's biggest highlights from the World Championships.
Despite his incredible achievement, Kerr was left off the six-person shortlist for this year's Sports Personality of the Year.
World Athletics president and double Olympic gold medallist Seb Coe was furious at the snub, writing on X: "No Josh Kerr on the list, are you having a laugh #SPOTY?
"World Champion in the biggest global sporting event of 2023."
And Kerr has admitted he would like to find out how the panel came to the decision of excluding him from the nominees.
“I’m in a very cut and dried sport. You’re fast enough, you run a qualifying time, you get into the event," he said.
"Not a lot of things throughout my whole career have been dependent on the judgment of others.
"I’ve always been taught to leave with no doubt out there but obviously I left a bit of doubt.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson also won gold and was on the shortlist
PA
“I’d love to see the minutes of the meeting if it’s ever going to come out.
"I was hoping to get my flights covered actually to be honest, but I don’t think that will be quite covered this time!
"But, no, every time I can get back to the UK, I am going to come back. It is a big family time for me.
“It’s such a prestigious event and an award that I’d have loved to have been involved in. But I’m still going.
LATEST SPORT NEWS:
"I’m going to be there to represent British Athletics and to support KJT [Katarina Johnson-Thompson]. I’m not sitting there crying about it. I’m getting out the door and getting my work in for next year.
“KJT had such an amazing comeback from 2019. I was someone who was able to bring a gold medal home for the team, and so was she.
"And over many more days. I was only three and a half minutes. I don’t know if that got taken into consideration. I’m excited to hopefully support her in winning.”
You may like
