Rory McIlroy snubbed the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony and did not even appear via video link.
The golfer was one of the six nominees for the award, but it was England Women goalkeeper Mary Earps who emerged as the winner.
Earlier this year, McIlroy played a pivotal role in Europe’s victory in the Ryder Cup, earning the most points for his team.
He has also been vocal about the power struggle between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund in the world of golf.
Despite being nominated for the main prize, Frankie Dettori, the horse racing legend, did not attend the event.
However, he did apologize for his absence in a live video interview with Clare Balding.
On the other hand, McIlroy was noticeably absent from the proceedings. Instead, his Ryder Cup teammates Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood provided promotional content for his nomination.
The BBC did not offer an explanation for McIlroy’s absence.
Although he resides in Jupiter, Florida, McIlroy was spotted in the UK on Sunday at the Liverpool vs Manchester United match.
In 2014, he finished second in the SPOTY voting, losing to Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton.
That year, McIlroy had an impressive record, winning two majors and contributing to a victorious Ryder Cup team.
While the reason for his absence from this year’s ceremony remains unclear, the BBC has faced criticism for its perceived lack of interest in golf.
Despite their achievements, both Matt Fitzpatrick and Georgia Hall were not nominated for SPOTY after winning major golf tournaments.
Budget cuts have meant the BBC now show no live golf and highlights packages are often shown late at night.
Leave a Reply