Tyson Fury: Jessica Ennis-Hill and Ronda Rousey remarks fuel SPOTY axe calls, but BBC stand firm

The world heavyweight champion has said he is not interested in winning the prestigious award amid a petition to have him removed from among the nominees, however the BBC have indicated he will remain among the contenders

Tyson Fury (GETTY IMAGES)

Calls for Tyson Fury to be dropped from the list of nominees for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award are likely to increase after footage emerged of the boxer making sexist remarks about fellow nominee Jessica Ennis-Hill, however the BBC has indicated they have no plans to remove him.

The recently crowned WBO, IBF and WBA heavyweight world champion's views on homosexuality were already under the spotlight after he was included among the 12 nominees for the prestigious award. A petition calling for him to be axed from among the contenders has garnered nearly 50,000 signatures.

Today a video came to light which shows Fury making derogatory remarks about world heptathlon champion Ennis-Hill.

“That’s the runner, isn’t it? She’s good, she’s won quite a few medals, she slaps up good as well,” Fury says when asked about the Olympic champion, whom he could share a podium with at the awards. “When she’s got a dress on she looks quite fit.”

In the same video, which was filmed prior to his win over Wladimir Klitschko, Fury is asked about his attitude to female boxers: “I’m all for it. I’m not sexist,” he said. "I believe if a man should go to work all his life, a woman can go to work as well. If you're not good enough, you won't make it anyway. Who am I to say don't you do that because you're a girl? What I believe is a woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back. That’s my personal belief. Making me a good cup of tea, that’s what I believe.”

Asked about Ronda Rousey, Fury replies "she's quite hot" before discussing the UFC star's credentials as a fighter.

Fury's comments can be seen from 58 minutes in the video below...

Despite the video, the BBC has indicated he will remain on the shortlist.

A spokesperson said: “The Sports Personality shortlist is compiled by a panel of industry experts and is based on an individual’s sporting achievement – it is not an endorsement of an individual’s personal beliefs either by the BBC or members of the panel.”

Fury's place on the shortlist had already angered LGBT campaigners following comments he made comparing homosexuality to abortion and paedophilia during an interview with the Mail on Sunday last month.

"There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home,” he was quoted as saying in that interview.

"One of them is homosexuality being legal in countries, one of them is abortion and the other one’s paedophilia. Who would have thought in the 50s and 60s that those first two would be legalised?”

Fury today wrote on Twitter that he was not interested in winning the SPOTY award, which will be held on December 20.

“Hopefully I don’t win @BBCSPOTY as I’m not the best roll [sic] model in the world for the kids, give it to someone who would appreciate it,” he wrote.