Fury must fight for SPOTY, not snub it

LET’S get this straight from the start: I am a massive fan of Tyson Fury as a boxer and the person he has become.

His open battle and recovery from mental health issues and what he has subsequently achieved in the ring have been nothing short of inspirational.

But Fury (above) has got it badly wrong with asking to be taken off this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner’s shortlist.

Professional athletes are sometimes accused of living in a bubble of self-importance that is detached from reality.

The money and the adoration of fans can sometimes leave an athlete without proper perspective on real life.

I am not saying this is Tyson Fury, because for the most part I believe he is very grounded.

But his decision with SPOTY appears to be a loss of understanding as to what this is about.

The BBC’s SPOTY is a tradition in this country, loved and watched by millions of people.

It is an opportunity for us to look back on what Great Britain has achieved within sport over the last year with immense pride.

Yes, there are winners, but it is about much more than that. It is about pride for what we can achieve on this relatively small island.

And of all years, we need this right now!

There are also some hugely deserving winners for their work in the community in difficult circumstances.

These are the unsung heroes that truly deserve to share the same stage, albeit virtual this year, as our sporting greats such as Lewis Hamilton and, of course, Tyson Fury.

Fury has got this wrong because it is not about him. It is about us coming together to celebrate all we have achieved this year.

It made no sense to hear him say he didn’t need to be recognised.

I do hope someone talks this through with Fury because this is about much more than whether he wins the main award or not.

It is not about one individual sportsperson, it is about us as a sporting nation.