THE exclusion of Scots boxing champ Josh Taylor from the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award shortlist has been branded “anti-Scottish working class” by the Alba Party.
The 31-year-old was overlooked on the six-person shortlist after making history winning an unanimous points decision over Jose Ramirez seven months ago to add the WBC and WBO belts to the WBA and IBF titles he already owned.
The undisputed light-welterweight champion became only the fifth boxer ever to simultaneously hold all four belts after defeating Ramirez in Las Vegas earlier this year.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon and Martin Compston congratulate Scots boxer Josh Taylor on historic win
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, diver Tom Daley, footballer Raheem Sterling, US Open tennis champion Emma Radacanu, swimmer Adam Peaty and Paralympic athlete Sarah Storey have all made the list.
Now, the general secretary of Alex Salmond’s Alba Party has launched an attack on the BBC saying that the decision to omit Taylor was an “embarrassment” as he labelled the Scots Boxing hero's achievement as not only one of the greatest Scottish boxing achievements of all time, but also one of the greatest British sporting triumphs.
The Alba accused the corporation of being “anti-Scottish working class”.
He has now called on Scots to give Taylor the last laugh by helping to sell out his upcoming defence of his titles and to cheer him on against Chorley’s Jack Catterall at the OVO Hyrdro in Glasgow on February 26.
McEleny said: “The decision to snub Josh Taylor from the BBC Sporting Personality of the Year awards is an embarrassing decision and shows that the BBC is a laughing stock in Scotland.
“Josh’s achievement isn’t just one of the greatest feats in Scottish sporting history, it’s one of the greatest in Britain.
"This is a guy that is only the fifth boxer in the four-belt era to accomplish this in the whole world, and he did all by hard work. He’s proud to be Scottish and is entitled to be outspoken but do the BBC think this somehow reduces his achievements?
READ MORE: History maker Josh Taylor will ‘ride the wave’ after being crowned undisputed champion
"You can only conclude that the BBC is displaying an anti-Scottish working [class] stance because becoming the UK’s first undisputed world champion in the modern era beats all the other achievements on the shortlist combined.
“I hope Scots can help Josh get the last laugh by helping to sell out the defence of his titles at the start of next year and roaring him onto victory at a capacity Hydro in Glasgow.”
Fuming Champ Taylor took to Twitter himself to throw a jab at the decision. He tweeted: “May 22nd 2021. First person In the UK to become undisputed world boxing champion in the 4 belt era & hold all the championship belts. #HistoryMaker shove yer SPOTY right up a***!”
Former Commonwealth Gold Medalist and Boxing World Champion “Amazing” Alex Arthur also condemned the omission. He tweeted: “An outspoken proud pro Scotsman regardless of achievements ain’t getting no big BBC award.”
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