Well I suppose it was only a matter of time before our abhorrent, antiquated and class-based honours system raised its ugly head. It is vital that the government makes clear and does it soon its criteria for any Olympian honours. And the criteria must be objective. If it is left to a committee of the “Great and the Good” to decide none of us , including the Olympians themselves, will believe that it was fair and didn’t involve the usual criterion of what you get depends on who you are not on what you’ve done.
We all remember the shameful and racist bestowing of honours on those who conquered Everest: the New Zealander Edmund Hilary was knighted and his sherpa Norgay Tenzing who did exactly the same thing but happened not be white was given the soon to become defunct British Empire Medal, an honour especially designed for those in the Commonwealth who weren’t proper chaps.
Now its a long time since that happened but the granting of honours still remains an arcane and opaque process. And as for still having gongs called Order of the British Empire well I ask you.
So in order to contribute to the debate in a positive way I suggest the following:
- No honours at all for anyone other than athletes.
- No honours for Silver or Bronze.
- If we must an MBE for one Gold Medal (e.g. Andy Murray)
- Similarly an OBE for more than one, either individual or team (e.g. Mo Farah)
- And a CBE for gold multiple games (e.g. Ben Ainslie and if he has one already then give him a Bar in the old-fashioned way).
- No knighthoods or dames …there are far too many knights and Dames already
- Now I know that means Rebecca Adlington or Tom Daley wouldn’t get one and that seems unfair and others have got more in other Olympics but it is only sport and we should start somewhere.
Downing Street denies the existence of a quota system that would limiting the number of Team GB athletes who can receive awards in the New Year Honours list.
PM denies 'gongs for golds' quota
Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:37:56 GMT
