Sunday 2 November 2008

Why Lewis Hamilton shouldn't make the honours list

This year's sports personality of the year contest is going to be very hard fought. The David Beckhams and Kevin Pietersons are not going to feature - but the last gasp drama which has made Lewis Hamilton the youngest ever Formula One world champion will provide strong competition for Olympic champions like Craig Hoy and Becky Adlington.

Hamilton has the potential to become one of Britain's greatest sporting superstars.

What a shame that he decided to go into tax exile which Kevin Maguire suggests today means he merits two cheers, rather than three.

In my view, his tax status should rule him out of the sporting section of Her Majesty's Honours list.

It probably won't. Hamilton certainly deserves many congratulations for his historic sporting achievement.

But I would like to see the government adopt the policy honours should be confined that citizens who pay taxes here.

3 comments:

Crowqueen said...

I'm afraid you appear to have made a typo in your article. The cyclist's name is Chris Hoy, not Craig Hoy.

Other than that, I wholly agree with your post. Team GB should be collectively awarded the Sports Personality of the Year, although I think individual honours should be left until that person has either come to the end of an overtly successful career (Adlington could hopefully end up as the next Michael Phelps) or achieves something spectacular in terms of a record or other achievement.

It is refreshing to see Brown did not shower Team GB with honours as Blair did with Kelly Holmes. Perhaps he knows how ridiculous it looks when politicians fawn over sporting stars and hope that some of their glamour rubs off on them, particularly before an election is due.

Sunder Katwala said...

crowqueen

Thanks for the comment. Yes, I hadn't spotted the mistake on Chris Hoy. A bit silly for somebody who watched as much of the Olympics as I did!

Keith said...

Thought you might like to know this article was mentioned on Sky News - I was invited on to discuss it:

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/11/03/me-on-sky-news-tonight/