Arise Sir Hoy

[jno]

Is a knighthood for a cyclist a bit over the top? I know he performed really well, but a knighthood? Three golds = Sir; two golds = OBE, F1 champion in his second year = MBE

[ludwig]

Maybe, but on the other hand why not? The precedent has already been set for sports people get these things quite early in their career, so they have to carry on that way really.

Anyway, If people like Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Archer can be Lords I see nothing wrong with people like Mr Hoy getting a knighthood.

[HatlessJack]

He'll be Sir Chris/Christopher Hoy................not Sir Hoy........

There will be many more faceless Civil Servants who receive honours for basically just doing their job.............

[Eve]

At least they are great role models for the younger generations though, far better than pampered prima donner footballers and Z list celebrities.

It's a hope it would give kids something else to look to for achievement rather than pulling some famous footballer or half starving themselves to look like their idols.

[VINNY100_2]

This ere is a more deserving winner..!
yo (:O)

[jno]

part of what I feel is that people used to win honours by a lifetime of achievement rather than just a couple of days (I know Hoy will have spent lots more time than that training - but so do thousands of people; he was knighted for winning, not training). Are Olympic gold meals no longer felt to be sufficient reward for winning? What would we do if we had someone like Michael Phelps who really rewrote the record books - make him queen?

ludwig, I'm trying not to think of people like Mandelson and Archer, though you're right to make the point that honours like those already besmirch the whole system.

Another oddity I overlooked: 4 paralympics golds = CBE. Personally I think the likes of David Roberts, a disabled swimmer, have achieved more than Hoy, though I dare say not everyone will agree. But why should someone get less if they're disabled?

[jno]

Olympic gold meals, ha... MEDALS...

[littleoldme]

Two golds for cycling (e.g. Bradley Wiggins) = CBE; two golds for swimming (e.g. Rebecca Adlington) = a mere OBE. Does this mean the queen likes cycling more than swimming?

[jno]

it's a mystery, isn't it, littleoldme... but I imagine it's hard to do a backstroke without getting tangled up in one's crown, whereas cycling should be less of a problem. Not very aerodynamic, though, and if on'e ermine train got tangled up in one's wheels there's be hell to pay.

[sqad617]

jno I agree with all you have said, Honours List is a joke and not copied by any other country (as far as I know). It is their raison d'etre to being the best at their sport and the medals should have been enough.

The UK was the laughing stock of the sporting world when the World Cup winning Rugby team were given MBE's.
I am a Monarchist and a traditionalist, but the Honours List , mainly in sport, is a joke.

[anotheoldgit]

The only time that England won the world cup, only two received recognition, the Manager and the Captain. I thought football was a team game.

The whole honours system should revert back to it's original concept, meaning that the recipients should be those that have earned them, carrying out their duties for Queen and Country on fields of battle.

[jno]

same thing happened to the cricket team after they won the Ashes, didn't it? Thump an Aussie, get an MBE!

[sqad617]

AOG........well said. But you must remember that we cannot have winners and losers in the UK today and there must be no failures.....we all must leave school with some certificate, we all must got to University and sonner or later, a reason will be found for all of us to be on the Honours List.

[sqad617]

jno.....quite correct and for the subsequent few years we had "losers" all with MBE's.

For the life of me I cannot understand why there always seems to be a "Lollyop lady" who has been shepherding children across the road for 60 yrs should be awarded an MBE, wouldn't doubling her pension be a better and more appropriate award?

[weecalf]

No Sir for Brucie .Every year he is mentioned getting Knighthood becoming like the Forsyth Saga .Maybe that panel was asked to vote and got it mixed up again .Retire Bruce and its all yours ..

[fredpuli47]

"Brucie" will have to wait until the audience answers "Yes" to "I'm not doddery, am I? "

[R1Geezer]

I'd rather guys like Hoy get it than faceless civik servants for just doing their job. It's not worse than average entertainers, Sir Bono, purlease, from last year!

[Amber63]

What is a prima donner? Is it a top quality kebab?

[rov1200]

I think more time should elapse before granting honours especially for sportsmen. How often in the past has it come to light about athletes using substances that were undetectable at the time but could be classed as illegal.

[jake-the-peg]

In a minute someone will say "It devalues the whole honours system"

And I'll die laughing

What were all these honours for?

http://www.filibustercartoons.com/charles3.jpg