You can listen to the Top Ten Sportsmanship Moments 2021 on BBC Radio London here (click ‘play’ below) and/or see the full details, photos and videos.
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2021
10th Place: Indian Captain Grabs English Captain’s Leg During Cricket Test Feb 2021 India’s captain, Virat Kholis, won a standing ovation with his touching gesture to opposition captain Joe Root on day 1 of the first Test against England. Root, the English skipper, went down with cramp. Kholi rushed over to Root lying on the ground in pain, lifted Root’s foot and helped him stretch. A lovely touch of sportsmanship by the Indian captain. More
9th Place: F1 Loser’s Magnificent Dignity – English driver Lewis Hamilton lost the F1 motor racing world title and his chance of a record 8th win in extremely controversial circumstances to Dutch driver, Max Verstappen in the last lap of the last race at the Abu Dhabi grand prix. Controversially, Hamilton’s 10 second lead was somehow reduced to zero – after another car crashed and a safety car was introduced. Still, Hamilton was honourable in defeat and publicly congratulated his Dutch opponent.
8th Place: Irish Boxer Flogs Belt After Fire – Kellie Harrington auctioned off her National Elite belt (from 2015) in 2021 to help a family from her neighbourhood who lost their home in a fire. An incredibly touching gesture from a boxer who had two years earlier been the Irish Times sportswoman of the year 2018. More
7th Place: American UFC Loser Shocks Brazilian Victor Post-Match
UFC is a brutal sport but American Dustin Poirier proved that the fighters are class and have great respect for each other. After his loss to Charles Oliveira, Poirier gestured to his Brazilian opponent that he wanted to donate 20k to his local Brazilian charity. A touch of class from the American in defeat. Watch the video link
6th Place: Danish Football Captain Saves Team-Mate’s Life – Euro 2020 (2021) produced some great moments of football and sportsmanship. The moment of the tournament however came from Denmark’s captain Simon Kjar. During their group stage opener against Finland, teammate Cristian Erickson collapsed to the ground, Kjar ran over to him and stopped Erickson from swallowing his tongue. His quick reactions saved his teammate’s life. A true leader Simon Kjar.
5th Place: French and Slovenian Mutual Respect Brings Olympic Tears in Judo
The 63kg Judo Final produced a beautiful moment of sportsmanship between France’s Clarisse Agbegnenou and Slovenia’s Tina Trstenjak. In Rio 2016 Olympics Agbegnenou was beaten in the final by Trstenjak. In 2021 Agbegnenou beat Trstenjak in the final. In tears, moments after her victory, Agbegnenou fell into the arms of her opponent and then lifted Trstenjak into the air with joy. More
4th Place: Spanish Club’s Beautiful Christmas Gift
It’s toys! It’s raining soft stuffed toys. The Spanish football club, Real Betis have an annual tradition that is quite beautiful. Every year, in December, it rains toys, as their fans throw stuffed toys onto the pitch at halftime so that disadvantaged children don’t go without a present at Christmas.
3rd Place: Rugby Team Refuse Penalty
Henley Hawks played against Barnes in the 14th round of the national two south, but it took until the last kick of the game for the best moment. With the score level at 17 each and the clock in the red zone, the referee gave a penalty against Barnes flanker, Jasper Cameron, for not moving away. It was inside the Barnes 22m (i.e. quite likely that Henley Hawks could kick the penalty and win the game). What no one realized though was Jasper Cameron, had been knocked unconscious from the tackle. He was down for a good 5 minutes but eventually, he was okay. Henley hawks decided the right course of action was to not shoot for the posts to try and win the game but to, kick the ball out of play to end the game as a draw. Rugby’s traditional values are alive and kicking (or not kicking’ as the case may be).
2nd Place: American Gymnast Who Never Gave Up
Simone Biles is the greatest gymnast in history. Undefeated in the ‘all-around, team and floor competitions since 2013, fans adore her bubbly personality. She won 4 golds and a bronze in Rio 2016. She ‘is unlike any gymnast we’ve ever seen’ (ESPN).
When she was very young Simone was fostered. Later, she lived with her loving grandparents. Tragically, years later, she was sexually abused by the USA team doctor. Biles suffered ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and at the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics, she had to pull out in the middle of the team event due to – ‘twisties’ (when a gymnast’s mind and body are out of synch) – leaving gymnasts unable to complete certain movements safely. Each day Simone withdrew from another competition because of’ her ‘mental health issues’ as she bravely and honestly declared to the press. She also said: ‘There’s more to life than just gymnastics’
– a terribly tough decision to make, leaving her USA teammates. Despite all of this, each day she came back to cheer on her team mates and applaud her opponents too.
Behind the scenes, she found a private gym outside the Olympic Village and practised the beam without any twists (ie diminished difficulty). She attempted one last go on the beams on the final day and won a bronze (despite the lower level of difficulty and huge pressure).
This brave young lady has helped so many by speaking out about mental health issues and in particular, sexual abuse. This month she won the Lifetime Achievement award at the BBC Sports Personality ceremony. Watch her grandparents in the video interviews applauding her lifetime achievement particularly as she is still only 24!
What a difference a day makes…… when, as a child, her daycare field trip to a farm was diverted to a gym due to rain……
1st Place: Dublin Football Club Unveils New Football Model
Bohemians FC welcome refugees. ‘Bohs’ are a fan-owned Dublin club playing in the Irish top league. They put ‘Refugees Welcome’ – on their away shirts last year, in partnership with Amnesty international They now have a blind football academy, as well as an established special commentary for fans with visual impairment. Bohs use their platform to champion social causes. Amputees football matches, local choir, amazing artists and a real commitment to helping those that need help. This year they have raised over €15,000 for the homeless charity, Focus Ireland. The front entrance features an anti-racism mural. On 15 July 2021, Bohs progressed in Europe for the first time since 2008. They bring a fundamentally different model of football to a game plagued by corporate profiteering.
This year, the away jersey is sponsored by Grammy-nominated band Fontaines DC to highlight homelessness in Ireland.
Bohemians FC – bringing a new model to football. Congratulations to all of you at Bohemians FC for your sterling work and being a shining example of a fan-owned-club doing great things.
—end—
If you enjoyed this you might enjoy the previous year’s Top 10 Moments
Videos & Radio Interviews – Great Moments Of Sportsmanship
A Final Thought
a Christmas Thought
from a former rugby captain of Scotland
So please do post any comments or additional stories. com
The Top 10 will be broadcast on BBC Radio London over the new year (ie 31 Dec and 1 Jan during Phil Parrie’s sports show on BBC Radio London). We will add the recording, onto our Videos and Radio section (with all other BBC (and radio station interviews).
Meanwhile New Year.
A, H and I
Thx Wayne Yes ‘A’ it’s raining soft toys is magical and the video is stunning. Another magical moment from Spain is a 6 year old team that never scored a goal & the captain is asked what it might be like one day to score a goal …kid thinks and then says (in Spanish) ‘I think I might fly’. https://greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/if-one-day-i-score-id-be-so-happy-that-id-fly/
My top 3 would be as followed. Third place – C. Second place – K and first place, by far the greatest sportsmanship moment of the year, H, Simon Kjars heroic life saving moment in Euro 2021.
Saving a life is a very special moment- no doubt – thx Cian
My top three would be:
3RD [A] Spanish Club’s Beautiful Christmas Gift
2ND [K] Preston North End Player Saves Fan
1ST [H] Danish Football Captain Saves Team-Mate’s Life
The reason why I’ve chosen H to be number 1 is because it touches home for me as when I was younger my little sister swallowed her tongue whilst in the swimming pool & if it wasn’t for this random stranger who knew to check and see & managed to pull her tongue out, she wouldn’t be here..
So I have so much respect for him knowing what to do and saving his life.
Nice one Emily. Wow your sister survived because that random stranger bothered to learn the basics of life-saving. Note to self!! It’s on my new year’s list.
I, A and E for me in that order. Lewis Hamilton may have been dignified in defeat but pity his team didn’t follow suit. More toys came out of the Mercedes pram than end up on the pitch at Real Betis. My own personal moment happened one Saturday night when the wife wanted to watch something that clashed with Match of the Day. In a dignified and sporting manner I handed her the (my) remote control, left the room and didn’t even slam the door on the way out. It fills me with pride every time I think of it!
Kingo interesting point re Hamilton. Though I imagine you would query the rule particularly when a 10 second advantage just disappears like that. As for your own act of utter selflessness, I think you have to be a very very strong candidate for Euro Husband Of The Year (you get my vote).
L, E and finally H. I have a lot of admiration for Rugby though I have never had the pleasure to play. It summarizes all the essential and enriching values of sport so I couldn’t chose another sportsmanship moment. I also loved the Dublin Football club initiatives. We really need more of of this models in the professional world of Football. Kudos to the Irish players!
Davide Henley Hawks are an amateur side playing rugby week in and week out – doesn’t it ‘warm the cockles of your heart’ to see these lads displaying the highest levels of honour and respect for the opposition. The Dublin story of Bohemians FC is truly magnificent. It is what others might call stakeholder capitalism of the best type. Everyone is considered and not just the shareholder or media corporations that own the clubs. Danish captain seems to be a popular choice at this early stage. It was both frightening and very emotional to watch it live.
All worthy contenders but I’d have to give Bohs (E) the top slot. Great to see the plight of refugees being given prominence in these unwelcoming times. Second place goes to the marvellous Simone Biles (J). Third place to Henley Hawks (L) – true sportsmanship, reminiscent of Paolo Di Canio stopping the game when playing for West Ham 20 years ago.
Bohs again – us Dubs love the bohs and it is really magnificent what they are doing. I think Dortmund FC in Germany make refugees welcome with large banners in the home fans end. Biles and Henley are class acts Brenny – I agree (and I remember Di Canio’s generous act – it’s in the book) – a truly great thing although not all West Ham fans were delighted at that potential goal scoring moment!
As with all competitions my choices are in reverse order:
In 3rd place – G – as someone who had a cardiac arrest, I’m delighted to see this piece of instictive quick thinking to save Eriksen’s life
2nd -D After such a dramatic last minute change of fortune in what has been a clearly bitter rivalry, Hamilton had the grace to congratulate Verstappen for his victory, pure class and in the best traditions of sportsmanship.
1st – K – This is the essence of sportsmanship. As a former amateur rugby player myself I know the heat of competition in lonley grounds far from the spectators eyes. Competition is intense and yet what the Henley Hawkes did was in the very highest traditions of sport. No one would have known anything about that game or those teams if that kick had been taken. NOT taking it makes them heroes.
Yes Chris, like you, I played amateur rugby for years (firstly in Lansdowne FC and then for 20 years in London Irish), so I like, you, totally understand the decent thing that the Henley Hawkes did far from any press coverage or even fans – just mud, rain, passion, a desire to win, but, not at all costs – honour, as you suggest, is far more important.
J (1st) Bohemians Football Club
E (2nd) Danish Football Captain Saves Team-Mate’s Life
B (3rd) Lewis Hamilton Dignity in Contraversial Defeat
Hard to argue with the top 3, I hadn’t realised how much Bohemians have done. I’d put Christian Eriksen In the top which would put Simone into 4th. And push the Rugby fair play up to 2nd.
Fair comments James. It is difficult – we debate it a lot. At least this debate is all about really good stuff and that’s good for the soul. I hope you also enjoy the 2022 Top 10