New Year's Honours List

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scotlass

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Amongst a host of Olympic and Paralympic athletes ..

A Knighthood for Lee Pearson

CBE's for Nick Skelton, Charlotte Dujardin and Sophie Christiansen
 
Pleased for Lee Pearson, but wondering just how "they" choose. Andy Murray and Mo Farah get knighthoods but Nick gets a CBE? After his lifetime of top class competition...
 
I genuinely wonder whether the powers that be still think of some equestrian sport as being 'elitist' to the general public, and therefore are reluctant to recognise top riders properly? Lee Pearson is OK because he is a para rider & therefore the public can identify with him - even though we all know he competes at the same high levels against non para riders!
 
I don't get what Lee Pearson has done to get his Knighthood? He was not on team and he did not do amazingly at the olympics, where as Charlotte has been consistent at her competitions and got team and individual.

I can see why Carl did get anything, he is already MBE and did only get a team medel. Charlotte is only getting a CBE. Don't get me wrong I think Carl is amazing and should get every honour around, but in terms of reasoning to give him one over every one else.
 
Carl should be recognised for his training in the same way that in 2012 the cycling team coach was. Where would our Rio dressage team have been without him?

I do think Nick Skelton deserves more recognition he is the only British person ever to go to 7 Olympics - quite an achievement

Lee I think will have been recognised due to the cumulative effect of all his medals. 11 para golds in total. It was starting to look a bit poor in fact he had suggested in interviews that he was being discriminated against and that able bodied athletes would have been knighted with far less medals.
 
A very dear friend of mine has been given an MBE for services to sport, cross community relations and charity. I'd rather see these honours being given to those who work quietly behind the scenes doing wonderful things than sports stars or celebrities.
 
Kat said:
Lee I think will have been recognised due to the cumulative effect of all his medals. 11 para golds in total. It was starting to look a bit poor in fact he had suggested in interviews that he was being discriminated against and that able bodied athletes would have been knighted with far less medals.
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Maybe it's just me but Lee pearson comes across as someone who thinks the world owes him everything because he has a disability. I have no time for the man.
 
EKW said:
Maybe it's just me but Lee pearson comes across as someone who thinks the world owes him everything because he has a disability. I have no time for the man.
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It's not just you.

jumbyjack said:
Victoria Beckham gets an OBE, why? This totally devalues the award!
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fburton said:
Possibly because of her charitable works?
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Rowreach said:
Exactly, another one who very quietly does an awful lot of good things behind the scenes.
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Easy to do charity work or donate vast amounts of money when you're in the position she is though... The Honours system used to be about every day people doing extraordinary things. Yes charity work by anyone is good, but it's those at the grassroots level that deserve them more imho. Sporting success never used to be recognised until the end of someone's career, rather than awarding something every time someone wins something.
 
teapot said:
Easy to do charity work or donate vast amounts of money when you're in the position she is though... The Honours system used to be about every day people doing extraordinary things. Yes charity work by anyone is good, but it's those at the grassroots level that deserve them more imho. Sporting success never used to be recognised until the end of someone's career, rather than awarding something every time someone wins something.
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Oh, I agree with all the above, teapot - I was just offering what I think is the most likely explanation for the honour. At least, I hope that is the reason and not merely her celebrity!
 
Lee can stop whingeing about it now at least.

I think the majority of the honours were still for community work in the community? It's just that we don't know any of them/they don't make it to the news. (BBC say 74%)
 
Rowreach said:
Same applies to George Michael, but I expect all the people he helped out when he was in a position to do so are very glad that he did.
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George Michael's work was very hidden though. He didn't want it in the news, which is why there are so many stories of him leaving cheques to be given once he'd left premises coming out now, rather than at the time.

In fact, the actual citation for VB is for her contribution to the fashion industry, no mention of her charity work. It's a funny system, was probably her turn for an honour. My father wrote and submitted citations during his career, and had to time them right to get the best chance of those people being rewarded.

Great to see Emma Wiggs on the list too, she does a lot for para sport and education outside of her own canoeing career.
 
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Has Andy Murray been given his for charity work as well as tennis? Otherwise basically its an honour for doing what you enjoy and getting paid quite a lot for it, same as a few others
 
Snuffles said:
Has Andy Murray been given his for charity work as well as tennis? Otherwise basically its an honour for doing what you enjoy and getting paid quite a lot for it, same as a few others
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His official citation is for services to tennis and charity, or at least that's what it says on the BBC. But other sports personalities, such as Jessica Ennis-Hill and Mo Farah have got theirs just for sport. I think Andy would have deserved it just for services to sport anyway though. Saying that "it's basically an honour for doing what you enjoy and getting paid quite a lot for it" makes it sound like he is getting honoured for playing xbox all day or something! Don't forget he works incredibly hard to be as good as he is, training relentlessly, and although he may enjoy tennis I'll bet that a lot of the time it isn't very much fun at all. But his achievements bring us all a huge amount of joy and can "lift" us as a nation. I know I cried happy tears when he won his second wimbledon title!
 
Of course he does but quite a lot of people work incredibly hard for a lot less monetary return than many sportspeople, same goes for the tv-types I guess too though, but then we got from the people dying threads that I don't get that ;) or the lifting of a nation stuff :p
 
EKW said:
Maybe it's just me but Lee pearson comes across as someone who thinks the world owes him everything because he has a disability. I have no time for the man.
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Having sat near him at Chatsworth trials, I totally agree with you; so bitchy about everyone, such a drama queen.

Looked it up yesterday and you have to be nominated for honours so why then, did not BD and BS get behind their stars, somebody obviously did for Sir Mark Todd? Without Carl there would be no dressage as we've known it the last few years and Nick is a legend in his own lifetime of course.

Mind, the Honours List isn't exactly worth a lot now; it used to be for heroes, long time service for the community and the like, not for designing dresses.
 
SusannaF said:
Not true...

'Almost three-quarters (74%) of the New Year honours are for local community, charity or voluntary work by the “ordinary people doing extraordinary things” highlighted in the Queen’s Christmas broadcast.'

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...or-ordinary-people-doing-extraordinary-things
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Except you still don't get a look in unless your face fits, or you know people who know how to write a citation that'll pass muster. It's not as simple as merely nominating someone.
 
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