Tyson Fury demands he is REMOVED from BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award shortlist because he’s ‘the people’s champion’ and has ‘no need for verification’… but broadcaster says he WILL remain in the vote
- Tyson Fury was named as a contender for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year
- The world heavyweight champion joined the likes of Lewis Hamilton on the list
- But the Gypsy King called on the BBC to remove him from the list in a video
- Fury said he does not need awards and implored supporters not to vote for him
Tyson Fury has made a bizarre request to the BBC be removed from the Sports Personality of the Year shortlist – but the broadcaster claims he will remain in the vote.
The WBC heavyweight world champion was named on the initial list of six on Tuesday after his extraordinary knockout win over Deontay Wilder earlier in the year.
But the 32-year-old, who faced a petition against his previous inclusion five years ago over a variety offensive remarks, took to social media on Wednesday to ask the BBC to ‘please take me off your list’.
Tyson Fury has called on the BBC to take him off the list of contenders for this year’s SPOTY
In a video on social media, the Gypsy King implored supporters not to vote for him to win
He added: ‘I’m the people’s champion and have no need for verification or any awards.
‘I know who I am and what I’ve done in the sport. I have the love of the people which means more to me than all the awards in the world.
‘To anyone who supports me, don’t vote.’
Fury’s inclusion raised eyebrows considering he is under investigation from UK Anti-Doping over allegations from a Lancashire farmer that he was offered £25,000 to lie about how Fury failed a drugs test in 2015. Fury’s promoter Frank Warren previously rubbished the claims.
Lewis Hamilton is the bookies’ favourite to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award
Ben Stokes won last year’s award, voted for by a public vote during the show on the night
When Fury was added to the 2015 shortlist, Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford initially asked that he himself be removed from the running owing to his desire to not share a platform with the fighter owing to his previous comments on homosexuality.
Even though Rutherford ultimately stayed on the shortlist, that remains the only known time a candidate has made such a request.
In a statement on Wednesday, the BBC said: ‘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 voting during the live show and it is of course up to Tyson if he chooses to participate in the show.’
Fury has been nominated once before in 2015 (pictured at the ceremony with wife Paris)
Fury joined favourite Lewis Hamilton on the list, as well as Jordan Henderson, Stuart Broad, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Hollie Doyle.
This year’s awards show is due to take place on Sunday December 20 in Salford, Manchester.
Fury’s next fight in 2021 is yet to be confirmed, with a trilogy bout against Wilder seemingly now off the table.
A two-fight ‘financial agreement’ with Anthony Joshua was agreed earlier this year, but that is dependent on AJ beating Kubrat Pulev in his first fight of the year on December 12.