Mary Earps wins the 70th BBC Sports Personality of the Year
Sports Personality Of The Year is embroiled in a “fix” row as unhappy viewers have made their feelings known after Lionesses’ goalkeeper Mary Earps won the coveted award after a fantastic year that also saw her bag the Golden Glove at the Women’s World Cup as well as reach the final of the tournament for the first time.
Despite her sporting achievements in 2023 however, not everybody felt that she deserved the award. Indeed many thought that runner-up, England cricketer Stuart Broad would have been a better choice.
World heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who came third, also had some support from critics of the winner. Mary also usurped jockey Frankie Dettori, wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, and golfer Rory McIlroy in the public vote.
Irate viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to vent their fury at the result which marked the 70th year of the competition.
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A viewer with the handle @drewdeak commented: “#SPOTY what a pure fix, the English women’s goalkeeper wins it. It has turned into a pure joke now. No wonder viewing figures have more than halved.” (Sic)
@Jimmyredknapp concurred writing: “Absolute fiddle that #MaryEarps wins #SPOTY #fiddle #fix time to stop this circus of @BBCSport s***e.” (Sic) @Lescotts felt that the wrong person won writing: “Stuart Broad got robbed tonight. #SPOTY.”
Meanwhile, @ManKent1418 cimed in: “It’s turned into a virtue-signaling award. Stuart Broad was robbed. The BBC ruined A Question Of Sport & now they’ve done the same with #SPOTY.”
This sentiment was echoed by @Orpingtondad who said:”Stuart Broad and KJT absolutely robbed because of the ridiculous OTT coverage of Earps from the BBC. #SPOTY.”
Another X user called @kevin_stannett raged: “BBC Sports Personality Of The Year last night, what a fix that was! Is Mary Earp’s a real household name? I don’t think so! Unlike Frankie Dettori, Rory McIlroy and Stuart Broad, the bookies had Earp’s 1/8 favourite and Dettori at 25/1 tells you it was a fix!”
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Amidst the negativity there was also support for Mary. @deano7672 opined: “Everyone just needs to calm down. I’m a big cricket man but pretty relaxed with her winning. The team got to the World Cup final and she was outstanding. I actually voted for KJT, she’s a proper athlete…”
Elsewhere @louisegrant21 gushed: “Well done @Maryearps1 you’re an inspiration to so many women and girls involved in football and also so many who aren’t but sometimes just want to tell the world to do one… you are awesome #SPOTY.”
And a user called @nick_davison10 added: “It’s quite funny seeing how many people are rattled that Mary Earps won #SPOTY last night. Most of them because she’s a woman and what she’s done for the women’s game. Others because they believe women have no right to beat men. Well done Mary. Keep on boiling that p**s.” (Sic)
Following her win Mary made a short speech in which she Earps admitted she was “humbled” to be nominated alongside her fellow nominees before adding: “It feels pretty great off the back of a couple of really big years and 2023 has been wild in ways I couldn’t expect. I’m really, really grateful.”
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