Gordon Brown’s Fist Bump At The Spirit of London Awards?
DID Gordon Brown try a fist bump at a Downing Street reception for nominees for the Spirit of London Awards? As it says on the flyer:
Whether London born or adopted Londoners the Spirit of London Awards will go to young people who are a credit to the local communities whose culture and heritage light up the City by adding passion to the prestige of London life.
It was created by the Damilola Taylor Trust, named in honour of the 10-year-old schoolboy killed by four youths on a council estate in south London in 2000. Judges looking for good “role models” include Christine Ohuruogu, the first British female Olympic 400m champion and ditz who missed three drugs tests – failing to show up to “various training locations at specific times she had specified to testers and blamed a combination of ‘forgetfulness” and last-minute venue changes.”
As Oliver Holt said of her in the Mirror:
Shame because Ohuruogu was only in Beijing in the first place because of the craven hypocrisy and pragmatism of the British Olympic Association.
Simon Barnes offered a defence:
Nor did she swerve a test when she knew that the testers were waiting for her, which was the offence of Rio Ferdinand, the England footballer. Her error was all to do with the complexities of out-of-competition drugs testing.
Ferdinand is also on the judging panel. So too is Shane Richie:
At one stage, he found himself cheating on his mistress with his wife. The pressure was alleviated by bottles of Jack Daniels and whatever prescription drugs he could cadge.
None of this is to say these people are not worthy of applause or admiration, particularly Ferdinand who as a footballer got far more stick in the media than Ohuruogu and served his ban without a grumble. It is to say that with so many people in London to choose judges from, so many better candidates have been overlooked or ignored.
Finally, let’s hope Christine Ohuruogu manages to turn up for the awards do. Fingers crossed.
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Posted: 26th, November 2009 | In: Politicians Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
