Great Britain national men’s team coach Pete Russell has blasted the BBC after they failed to acknowledge his team’s achievements in their Sports Personality of the Year show.
Russell took to Facebook to vent his frustration that the corporation has snubbed his team’s gold medal win back in May – their second on the trot – earning them a spot at the top tier of this year’s World Championships where they’ll come up against Canada and USA.
And he also accused the BBC of not understanding the enormity of the achievement, which sees GB in the top flight for the first time in a quarter of a century.
“We all love this great sport we are involved in, but no wonder it never grows like it should,” he said.
“Our Team GB boys have taken this team in two years from the third tier Pool C to Pool A in the World Championships. The first team to ever get back to back gold medals.
“BBC Sport ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ should be ashamed of themselves for not even mentioning that unbelievable achievement. Absolutely shocking!
“We had 23 players and nine staff who gave everything and against all odds to achieve the unthinkable.
“But our more historic sports channel in the country can’t even take the time to understand how big this achievement is and give this sport/team some well-deserved recognition.”
GB overcame the odds to win their group last season to qualify for the top flight, where they’ll head to Slovakia in May for their big dates against Canada, USA, Germany, Denmark, Finland, France and the hosts, Slovakia.
The BBC were contacted for comment in response to Russell’s post and a spokesperson said:
“Due the length of the show, it is not always possible to reflect all sporting achievements.
It is an editorial challenge we face every year, but it is always our aim to reflect many achievements across a diverse range of sports.”
Mr Angry
17th December 2018 at 7:11 pm
Typical BBC…..the greatest Team Sport ever played Physical Fast Skilled and played by real athletes not nabby pamby prima donnas ala Premier league and playing against the best in the WORLD and we win through to the top flight and not even a nod…….POOR POOR POOR but a wafer thin Ethopian running around in Circles and they flip backwards for coverage I’d expect nothing less from the BBC
Stephen shipley
17th December 2018 at 7:17 pm
I was there to see GB take gold it’s no shock to me that the bbc have not mentioned our great sport as they are not bothered about sports that don’t generate money into the big wigs pocket. Until they get there fat ares out of there arse and see the big world outside the window then sports like ours will always be in the shade. So bbc your not needed in our sport as we have free sports showing our great sport and doing a great job so crawl back to your box and stay blinkered.
Lesa hunter
17th December 2018 at 8:51 pm
Well said Pete there is more sports than football
Lee Birch
17th December 2018 at 11:11 pm
Disgusting I sat and watched the whole program thing GB Hockey would get at least a minute coverage …. Bad BBC
G Cashley
18th December 2018 at 10:55 am
Wake up and smell the coffee, there is no way that ice hockey would be relevant to these people because it has nothing to offer them. No trips to far off hot countries for the olympics, no lads weeks away at football tournaments and no nationalistic jingoism when a team wins a sporting event that 99.9% of us have no chance of ever taking part in or attending, like equestrian events. And when they do celebrate a success they adulterate the occasion by altering pictures of said event, Geraint Thomas for example. One thing I would like to know is, who selects the people that are on the short list?
Seamus
18th December 2018 at 4:30 pm
Well said preter and best wishes. For teeam Gb
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