Giving that current and former sportsmen/women have generally performed well on SCD in the past - its curious as to why FB was "snubbed". My guess was that his mental health problems might have made the producers wary of exposing him to the wrath (however theatrical) of the judges.

According to the BBC it was because they had already signed up Joe Calzaghe and they felt that one boxer was enough. Maybe they'll sign him next year.

Maybe it was because he was a self confessed cocaine user.......oh no that cant be right Martina Hingis is one of those too

His agent didn't talk to the producers until July when as FT says Joe had already been signed (and thank goodness for that imho).

And Jan I don't want to fall out with you as we generally agree on here, but Martina had always denied ever using any kind of drugs and her ban from tennis is one of the most controversial in the history of the game. Other top players have even said publicly they thought she was innocent, plus she had hair sample test which is far more accurate that proved she had not used any drugs. However she was so appalled at the allegation and knew how much of her life would be taken up trying to prove her innocence, that she decided to walk away and retire from tennis. She was the one who made the drug test result public when she went to the press and you can read her public statement here.

This is also an excellent article about Richard Gasquet who found himself in a similar situation this year and was cleared of the charges and he has Martina to thank for that escape because as the article says

In a tacit admission that Hingis was treated too harshly, after her case, the ITF sent players a memo outlining changes to the anti-doping policy. A small clause reads: Where the substance found in the player's sample is a Specified Substance and the player establishes how it got into her system and that there was no intent to enhance performance, the sanction for a first offense may be anything from a warning to a 24-month ban.

It was this bit of discretion that likely enabled Gasquet to escape a two-year ban. The Hingis Rule, we may as well call it.

It would be too much to hope that Martina's case would be reopened by the authorities, but I do think she shouldn't be compared to someone like Fran Bruno where the circumstances were very different.

Further to BuddyB's post - th article in the paper says Frank's agent contacted the BBC - and there are LOTS of z-lebs agents doing that all year.

While I was a great fan of Frank in his better boxing days, and through his personal trials of more recent date, his overall psychological state under prolonged pressure nowadays would probably be enough for the Beeb to shy away from engaging him.

Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Bruno

Totally useless trivia: My sister's house in London was next door to Frank's Primary School. (Swaffield School, in Wandsworth)

Thank you for outlining that, Buddy.

I had no idea about the background to this case.

Did you know jj that that is the new dictionary definition of "snub"...

Can I have a job please?
No.
I can't believe it. I've been snubbed. How dare you snub me.. ad infinitum

Yes, its the "How dare they snub ME!!" that really sticks in my throat.


JJ (frequently snubbed, but used to it!)

Thanks Buddy I will gracefully withdraw my remarks about Martina......I know about the Gasguet case as I follow mens tennis much more closely than the womens ( I may get back into it again when the Williams sisters no longer win Wimbledon every year)

So I assumed that she had been found guilty or she wouldnt have been banned and was therefore not particularly sure it was a good idea to have her on a family show.

Frank did admit to taking cocaine some years ago.

Didn't Jodie Kidd have a quite public cocaine scandal?

I don't want to cast aspersions on the world of showbusiness, but if you banned everyone who'd ever taken cocaine, then the studio would be half empty.

I have to agree - sad though.


You are welcome.


Someone will sue for being snubbed sooner or later no doubt!


Jan in Martina's time a positive result was an automatic 2 year ban, a rule that was changed after her case which is why Richard Gasquet is able to still play, as it was accepted at his hearing that the minute traces found in his test sample was passed on to him from someone he kissed in a nightclub. Martina had even more minute traces in her test sample, so who knows how it was passed on to her?


I agree and yes, she allegedly obtained cocaine for undercover reporters from the NOTW who posed as potential investors in a polo arena project (she allegedly boasted of taking the drug herself to them. She never actually denied the allegations, but was very vocal about being targeted for a 'sting' by the newspapers. I really liked Jodie on SCD and wanted her to go further in the competition.

I was never a big fan of Martina Hingis. As a player she was discrepectful to many of her rivals - and clearly had some homophobic issues with Amelie Mauresmo. But she was so clearly set up in relation to the the cocaine test - that I am glad the BBC did not allow this to factor into their decision to hire her for SCD. Also I think I will be interesting to hear her being bitchy about her fellow contestants

I will be interested to see she comes over on SCD as she certainly used to be outspoken and sometimes of her remarks lost something in the translation giving the wrong impression. I don't this that kind of thing will go down very well with the GBP who often take a dislike to someone who is a bit different.

Am I right in thinking this is the first time we have had a celeb who is nor British on SCD?

He'd be a bit of a worry regarding the " mental health issues" so probably they thought having him on was too risky. Don't think he'd be up to it IMO, Joe Calzaghe much better choice and should do well with Krystina.

I'm delighted Bruno is not taking part. He is a terrible actor.

Only one I can think of is Peter Schmeichel but I suppose that the number of years he spent playing in the UK make him an honorary Brit!

Maybe I'm just naive but I didn't take that comment about Mauresmo as homophobic...to me 'she's half a man' was a reference to her physique - and there is no doubting she is well muscled and not the stereotypical 'girly' figure of a Sharapova or Kournikova and the like - but because Mauresmo is openly gay people pounced on it as a reference to her sexuality. Having said that, that is the oft quoted part of her conference answer and I genuinely have no idea if there was more said than that in the answer that is more damning towards Hingis.

Depends on your definition of British I guess. Diarmuid Gavin was from Ireland, and there have been a few celebs from N.Ireland.

Of course. How could I forget so quickly!

My definition of British would include anyone who is English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish and anyone from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. I think.

I've said this elsewhere but I've noticed that sports people who come from team sports - the rugby players, the cricketers etc - tend to be popular with the viewers, while the sports people who come from individual sports tend to be less popular.

I think it might have something to do with the fact that the individual sports people are very competitive in an "I am used to winning" manner whereas team sports people, while also very competitive, are well aware of the fact that their successes are team successes and therefore come across as being more modest.

The former seems to put the viewers off while the latter is liked and, if you combine this with being very outspoken, then many viewers might well be put off by Martina. It'll be very interesting to see the public reaction to her, Jade, Joe and Richard this year.

Perhaps we should say anyone not from the UK then as it is The United Kingdon of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Its an interesting point of view, but not born out by the record. Think of the individual sportsmen/women who HAVE done well - Denise Lewis, Roger black and Colin Jackson just off the top of my head.

JJ

Denise got through to the final more on the judges' scores than on the public vote. Jill Halfpenny was far more popular with the viewers. And I think that happened in other cases as well.

It might be worth bearing in mind that Martina Hingis has 9 Grand Slam doubles titles to her name, so is used to competing as part of a partnership. Additionally I'm sure Mark Foster and Colin Jackson were part of relay teams in their respective sports, so it's not quite as clear cut as "individual vs team sports" I wouldn't say.

I think sports people are simply more disciplined in their application to a task and also used to taking instruction. Add to that their desire to win and bingo! they are in with a shout.

It is a bit like learning anything new. If you are still at school or in education, you tend to pick up new things more quickly than someone older whose brain has forgotten 'how to learn'!