Piers Morgan claims Mary Earps did not ‘deserve’ SPOTY award over Rory McIlroy, Frankie Dettori and Ronnie O’Sullivan

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Piers Morgan has questioned whether England goalkeeper Mary Earps deserved to win the 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award over her fellow nominees, while appearing to misunderstand the meaning of the award. Earps was odds-on favourite to win Sports Personality of the Year and topped the public vote ahead of recently retired England bowler Stuart Broad, jockey Frankie Dettori, athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, tennis player Alfie Hewett and golfer Rory McIlroy. “While male sporting superstars with great personalities like Rory McIlroy, Frankie Dettori & Ronnie O’Sullivan have never won it.” Morgan appeared to mistakenly think the word “personality” in the award’s title refers to the character of the athletes, when in fact it simply means a person of note. Many men more deserving - esp McIlroy, Dettori, O’Sullivan, Broad.” McIlroy played a key role in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph in Rome, although his long wait for a fifth major title goes on.