Tyson Fury Shortlisted For Sports Personality Of The Year Despite Threats Of Legal Action

Tyson Fury has been shortlisted for the Sports Personality of the Year award, despite threatening legal action if he was included by the BBC.

The heavyweight champion has been named alongside Olympic and Paralympic stars Tom Daly, Adam Peaty and Dame Sarah Storey, footballer Raheem Sterling and heavy favourite Emma Raducanu, who won the US Open in September aged just 18.

While it is an amazing achievement to make the shortlist, Fury seemingly won't be celebrating his inclusion. In fact, the 33-year-old threatened to take legal action if he was named among the contenders.

Speaking to Telegraph Sport last week, he said: "It means nothing to me and I don't need it or want it.

"In fact, they will hear from my solicitors if they do put me on the list. Give it to someone who needs it. I don't.

"And, anyway, we know who the sports personality of the year is anyway - it's me. I am the sports personality.

"Who does what I do, goes through a war in Las Vegas, entertains the fans, and then sings to the audience?"

Fury has had a turbulent relationship with the awards for years now, starting back in 2015 when a petition calling for his removal from the shortlist over sexist and homophobic comments attracted 100,000 signatures.

In 2018, he was controversially omitted from the shortlist despite taking centre stage in one of the most remarkable sporting comebacks in history, rising from the canvas in the 12th round against Deontay Wilder and clinching a controversial draw after overcoming his own personal battles with depression, alcohol and drug abuse.

And last year, Fury announced on Good Morning Britain that he had instructed his lawyers to demand that the BBC remove his name from the shortlist, but the BBC declined.

Fury said: "They wouldn't give it to me and give me credit if I won 50 world title belts from the people who put it on, and I don't care.

"I should have won it three times already. I've got my wife and my kids. That's all the awards I need. I'll sue [the BBC] if they put me on."

The show will be held at Media City in Salford on Sunday (19 December) without a studio audience, because of concerns over rising coronavirus infections.

Fury is third favourite to win the award - which is decided by a public vote - behind Daly and odds-on favourite Raducanu.

A BBC spokesperson told LADbible: "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 2021. As always, the winner will be decided by the public vote during the live show."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Sport, Boxing, Tyson Fury

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey