Paralympic Heroes Hit Out at Honours List

Paralympic Heroes Hit Out At Honours List


Leading Paralympians claim they have to work harder than Olympic athletes to reach the top of the New Year honours list.


4:24am UK, Sunday 30 December 2012

Dressage rider Lee Pearson OBE (L) has 10 gold medals to his name

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  Leading Paralympians have criticised the New Year honours system, claiming it is easier for able-bodied athletes to get knighthoods.
  
  Cyclist Sarah Storey was the only Paralympic athlete among the knights and dames, despite many racking up more gold medals than Bradley Wiggins or Ben Ainslie, the Olympians given top awards in this year's list.
  
  Dressage rider Lee Pearson, who has won 13 medals including 10 golds at four Games, was one of two Paralympians to get OBEs in the list, which was published on Saturday.
  
  He told the Independent: "Obviously, 10 gold, one silver and one bronze just isn't enough.
  
  "I'm disappointed because I do feel I've given a lot to Paralympic sport and equestrianism. I think 10 gold medals is quite an achievement."
  David Weir was given a CBE after winning four gold medals at London 2012
  Wheelchair racer and six-time gold medal winner David Weir suggested Paralympians have to work harder to earn recognition than their non-disabled counterparts.
  
  Weir, who was the only disabled athlete among five CBEs in the list, told the Telegraph: "Kelly Holmes was made a Dame when she won two gold medals, but it seems we have to get into double figures to get it.
  
  "Sarah Storey should have been awarded this years ago, and I just feel that sometimes we are left out perhaps because we are not in the public eye.
  
  "It is a bit strange, but I am just honoured to get anything from the Queen for doing a sport I love."
  
  The list was drawn up by the Sports Honours Committee, which is chaired by Lord Coe and includes the former Paralympic athlete baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
  
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I would have to agree with them.

Yes, so would I......and yet, Seb coe and Tammy , herself a paraplegic, compiled the list and awards.

Thats a great shame then -would think they should know better.

cherry1 wrote:Thats a great shame then -would think they should know better.

Exactly....that's why I couldn't understand Tammy's reasoning, she above all should have known Paraplegics have to work much much harder.

Ken Livingstone turned down CBE for London Olympics role

Ken Livingstone was offered a CBE in the New Year Honours but turned it down, he has revealed.

The former Mayor of London said he turned down a gong for services to the Olympics because he does not think politicians should get honours.

"I was offered a CBE," the 67-year-old revealed on his show on LBC Radio today.

"I don't believe politicians should get honours. You had this thing for years that any Tory MP who survived in house for 20 years automatically got a knighthood.

"You get the really disfiguring thing, these people who give thirty or fifty thousand pounds to a political party and then get an honour.

"I was paid very good money to be the Mayor of London and nothing beats the recognition you get when the people of the city elect you in the first place."

Mr Livingstone was Mayor of London from 2000 to 2008 and helped secure the Olympics for the capital.

He said the gong, which he had only told his wife about until today, would have been for his services to the Olympics, not to politics or news.

But he said he did not need an honour for his efforts, adding: "The pleasure I get is seeing it all worked.

"We promised the IOC (International Olympic Committee) what would be the best Olympics ever and that's what they got.

"I just don't believe politicians should get all these gongs - someone who's done vast amounts in the voluntary sector, I've no problem with all of that."

The New Year Honours were dominated by the 2012 Games, with Olympians, Paralympians, and backroom staff behind the highly-successful London 2012 recognised for their efforts.

Mr Livingstone is not the only high-profile name missing from the roll - Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle, who masterminded the £27 million opening ceremony, is said to have turned down an honour, while Hollywood film-maker Stephen Daldry, head of the Olympics ceremonies, is also absent.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/ken-livingstone-turned-down-cbe-for-london-olympics-role-8433155.html

The whole honours thing is a joke imo. I don't think actors should get one either as its their job they are paid millions to do whilst being pampered for 6 weeks work!

Well I do think that Boris should have got an honour for the way he rode his bike!

I think bravery deserves a medal, and people who work selflessly for nothing , just to help the afflicted deserve a medal, pioneers who work in medicine, like Marie Curie, inventors etc. It just so happened that the Olympics and Paralympics won an inordinate number of medals , I don't begrudge them , they worked very hard for years.

I read about Ken, nice gesture but I couldn't help thinking he was looking to 2015

As for Film Stars etc, I agree.

cherry1 wrote:Well I do think that Boris should have got an honour for the way he rode his bike!

Our Boris I'll have you know, stopped on his bike to help a Woman who was being attacked. !!! I was reading about him in wikipedia, very well educated , blotted his copybook a couple of times but is more in touch with the people than any Politician , acting the Buffoon is his style and he doesn't mind being laughed at, that is why he is so popular.

cherry1 wrote:Well I do think that Boris should have got an honour for the way he rode his bike!

Boris should be knighted just for this tackle....He did it for his country

Panda wrote:I think bravery deserves a medal, and people who work selflessly for nothing , just to help the afflicted deserve a medal, pioneers who work in medicine, like Marie Curie, inventors etc. It just so happened that the Olympics and Paralympics won an inordinate number of medals , I don't begrudge them , they worked very hard for years.

I read about Ken, nice gesture but I couldn't help thinking he was looking to 2015

As for Film Stars etc, I agree.

I totally agree that only these peoples efforts should be honoured, but reality is it is more film stars, politicians, political party donators and the like who get them and take all the headlines. Something very wrong with this imo

I don't think sport stars should be honoured either unless they have achieved something extraordinary

Panda did you see this one of Boris riding his bike

@ jd16.......I suppose to be best in the world at any sport deserves recognition thinking of the years of training etc. They made us proud to be British . I was crying when little Ellie won her first Gold Medal , every one of the spectators was on their feet roaring her on., moments like that will stay with you forever.

@ cherry My Boris wears a safety Helmet and would never ride so dangerously. Unless something extraordinary happens and they find a way of letting Boris resign as Mayor , I can't see him being able to run for PM.