When you have received a free ticket to a dinner it seems a little churlish to criticise, but when the event is to acknowledge excellence in sport within Western Australia one has to point out areas where the event let itself down.
The WAIS athlete of the year awards was according to the invitation a ‘black tie’ event. Yet the Chairman and the Executive Director failed to adhere to this dress code.
Just so that they are aware should they read this, ‘for a man, the major component is a jacket, known as a dinner jacket (in the Commonwealth) or tuxedo (mainly in the USA), which is usually black but is sometimes seen in other colours.’ Other items that traditionally fall under the ‘black tie’ code are: A low-cut waistcoat or cummerbund, A white dress shirt with a turn-down or wing collar, A black ribbed silk bow tie matching the lapel facings, shirt studs (optional) and cufflinks, Black dress socks, usually silk or fine wool and Black shoes, highly polished or patent leather Oxfords, or patent leather court shoes. Although in recent years the enforcing of these has been a little more relaxed.
Certainly one gentleman from the ABC could do with learning that an open neck shirt is far from acceptable.
But dress aside the insensitivity and lack of understanding of etiquette from Mr. Chris Young from Channel Seven, who was at the microphone to introduce the Inductees to the Hall of Champions and Hall of Legends was very poor show.
Having announced all of the inductees and having had them all return to their seats he asked all of the recipients to stand, and then proposed a toast to their success.
Etiquette should in fact see them remain seated and all of the guests rise to toast them and acknowledge their achievements, it is incredibly ignorant to toast while seated on such an occasion, so one black mark for that.
However the biggest faux pas in this gesture was the fact that one of the inductees was wheelchair athlete Louise Sauvage, who obviously could not stand. Hopefully such mistakes will not be repeated and we can ensure that this is the prestigious event that it deserves to be.
