New Year's Honour List

Does anyone think about any of them and wonder why?

yep ... they are receiving knighthoods for PERSONAL achievements and its wrong. on that basis, I should be receiving a knighthood for passing my degree and securing a job (i'm awaiting my invite in the post). i think i'd be a bit more understanding if they had dedicated time into making their chosen sport more successful, or spend most of their lifetime dedicated to the sport. but as they are "new" stars to the sporting world, i think there are far more worthy people out there

Just taking the Knighthood into consideration I really do think it's unfair to call either Bradley Wiggins or Ben Ainslie " new stars " to the sporting world.

Wiggins has 7 olympic medals, 4 of them gold and as the 1st Englishman to win the Tour de France since 1903, I'd say that's pretty special.

I don't believe that they do anything else but devote their life to their sports and invest the time in making their sports more successful, so, sorry, but not really sure where you're coming from on that angle.

I think all the olympians who are being recognised, and let's not forget, some of them have previously been recognised and are being " up-graded " deserve to be. The joy and passion that I saw reflected during the olympics was amazing and I truly feel that they all made a large percentage of the population feel proud of Team GB, proud of the UK for putting on such a great games and maybe also proud to be British?

my point is that the achievements, although great, have been for themselves. like i said, it was a great achievement for me (having spent nearly 10 years of my life to get to where i am now) to pass my degree and get a job. what the olympians have done is the same thing, its just been watched by the whole world. why should my achievements be any less than theirs?

There are awards for ordinary people too but ordinary people have to be brought to their attention, two head teachers were made dames for tirning two london high schools around. The impact olympians had on the country was huge despite it being a personal achievement, your own personal achievements are great but so are everyones to themselves really. If you watch bradley wiggins interviews your opinion on his achievements may differ. Quentin blake was knighted and you may say all he does is draw when others may say he has changed the face of childrens literature and inspired children to read and use their imaginations. It is all dependant on your opinon of the people recognised or missed out.

I agree well written!

i can see how their achievements benefit others, but it just doesent sit right that they are being given knighthoods for something they set out to do all those years ago for themselves. each to their own i guess

the only reason it irk's me is that there are people out there who dedicate their whole lives to fostering children or charity work, working tirelessley for the well being of others, and imho, these are the kind of people that deserve the recognition that the olympians are now recieving.

I have not said that any of the sports persons were new to their sports. True Wiggins was the first Britain to win the Tour de France, but not without the help of his team mates. Did they receive any recognition?

Had he not won the Tour, would his four Olympic gold medals have qualified him for a knighthood?

David Weir has won six Olympic gold medals.

No Malka, you didn't

Madison said that they were new stars to their sports in her 1st post

I've never fathomed why people get honours for sport, being pop stars, being famous etc.

Worse, I can never fathom why the news is taken up by the rich and famous receiving them with barely a mention of those who are honoured for their dedicated service to society.

Sad, isn't it?

I totally agree with this post.
And as for pop stars making their fortunes and getting gongs for it just makes my blood boil.
The whole system is archaic and unnecessary now anyway and more than likely rife with corruption and bribery.

I think again Jimmy Saville has made me and a lot of people sceptical about what goes on with people in the public eye and what they do to get recognition.