The Times - UK (2020-12-03)

(Antfer) #1

Rick Broadbent


Tyson Fury and the BBC were locked in
a new fight last night after the broad-
caster refused to grant his wish to be
removed from the shortlist for the
Sports Personality of the Year award.
The WBC heavyweight boxing
champion, who has previously dubbed
Spoty “a fix”, was named on a six-strong
shortlist on Tuesday alongside Lewis
Hamilton, Hollie Doyle, Stuart Broad,
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jordan Hender-
son. However, the 32-year-old issued a
video yesterday saying that he did not
want any part of the December 20 vote.
“This is a message for the BBC and
their Spoty award,” he said. “Please take
me off your list as I’m the people’s
champion and have no need for verifi-
cation or any awards. I know who I am
and what I’ve done in sport. The love of
the people is worth more to me than all
the awards in the world. So to all my
supporters please don’t vote on this and
take me off the list. All my love, Tyson
Fury, the Gypsy King.”
The BBC countered: “The shortlist is
decided by an independent expert
panel who choose contenders based on
their sporting achievement in a given
year. On this basis Tyson Fury will
remain on the list for Spoty 2020. As
always the winner will be decided by the
public vote during the live show and it is
of course up to Tyson if he chooses to
participate in the show.”
Anthony Joshua, who is likely to face
Fury in the biggest bout in British
boxing history next year, said making


Times Crossword 2 7, 8 38 across down Yesterday’s solution 27,83^7


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CR I TER ION BOWER
A N A M O A E E
ROSTRUM REDCARD
A U T O M G R A
TORCH DIALECTIC
A I E N R H T
CANONI SE LEVI
O C G T H A T O
NOEL MANDAR I N
V P S C V D O
IRONHORSE INUIT
V L R I A T S I
IRIDIUMFAIREST
A C L E I V R U
LOYAL ACTRESSES

1 Tree so great shelters the old
woman ( 6 )
4 One coming in to cite holy writ, the
result of division ( 8 )
10 Two sides bordering study covered
in pleasant flowering plant (6,3)
11 Exist as a dissenter in the party ( 5 )
12 Face a revolutionary’s self-
assurance (7)
13 Situation for highest-level worker?
( 7 )
14 Polish novel given English
translation finally ( 5 )
15 Metal objects in club with damage
through use reportedly ( 8 )
18 Gent, sorry when falling short,
working to be sturdier (8)
20 Old king left some of the food
offered by butcher? (5)
23 Truck carrying litres for one who
likes a drink or two? ( 7 )
25 Dodgy cult with unique feature for
those buying into it ( 7 )
26 Football club has managed to save
money in Switzerland? ( 5 )
27 Discovered part of Peru near the
desert ( 9 )
28 Time in coastal location where wild
flowers can prosper? (3-5)
29 Number bunked off in gutless
endeavour ( 6 )

1 Highlight what PA would ask boss
to do before email? (8)
2 This writer leads the way, penning
good collection ( 7 )
3 Second race, with number two
going badly as the roar goes up? ( 9 )
5 Hundreds in Europe sadly having
no exercise and lacking good food
( 14 )
6 Out putting label on ducks (5)
7 Bringer of law, measure that
performer must follow ( 7 )
8 One band or another being heard
( 6 )
9 See nerd undergo big change in
place fostering new ideas? (8,6)
16 Forest’s team in domestic fixture
( 9 )
17 Running behind time, heading off
with great excitement (8)
19 For prominent one on board,
tribute entertaining political leader
( 7 )
21 Soldiers shut up in the bog get
spruced up? ( 7 )
22 County workers in a number of
offices? (6)
24 Place offering food for preacher
John — without end ( 5 )

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2GM Thursday December 3 2020 | the times

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Mike Ather ton


Take me off


BBC shortlist,


orders Fury


the shortlist was an honour. Joshua, 31,
came fourth in 2017, the same position
that Fury finished two years earlier.
“It’s a nice honour even if you don’t
win,” Joshua said. “It’s about sporting
achievement and they want to
acknowledge him, but if he doesn’t
want to do it then it’s his decision.”
Fury battled back from suicidal
depression to win the WBC title against
the previously unbeaten Deontay
Wilder in Las Vegas in February. That
increased his popularity and led to him
being regarded as a mental health
champion, but he has continued to
court controversy.
This summer he publicly thanked
Daniel Kinahan for negotiating a two-
fight agreement with Joshua. Kinahan
has no criminal convictions but is a
notorious figure in Ireland and has
been identified in Dublin’s High Court
as the head of a £1 billion drugs and
arms operation.
The Kinahan cartel, originally run by
his father, has also been engaged in a
bloody family feud in Ireland that has
led to 18 deaths since 2015. Shortly after
Fury’s “thank you”, Bob Arum, Fury’s
US promoter, said Kinahan, the co-
founder of MTK Global management,
was now taking a back seat.
In addition UK Anti-Doping (Ukad)
is still understood to be looking into
claims that a farmer was offered a
£25,000 bribe to provide Fury with an
alibi to cover up a failed drug test in


  1. Fury, who received a two-year
    backdated ban in 2017, blamed the
    Continued on page 73


But broadcaster refuses to accept boxer’s demand


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