The recent coverage of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest has to have been some of the best television coverage of a major sporting event in recent times, and helped Athletics immeasurably. It was slick, it was professional, and the excitement flowed, in the main the camera work and the commentary were outstanding.
There was one aspect to the Championships that had many talking, and maybe that was because it happened to come hot on the heels of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and that was the presentation of the medals to the winners. This was done trackside, almost immediately the event was completed and with little fuss. Allowing the athletes to enjoy their moment with their medal around their necks.
Presentation ceremonies were always supposed to be about the athletes, but in recent times have been hijacked by administrators and sponsors who want their moment in the spotlight.
Also by those who have little or no right to be pitch side such as Celebrity Chef Salt Bae at the FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar.
One of the reasons that the FA Cup still has a magic about it – although the new stadium has changed it considerably – is that the presentation is simple. The captain of both teams leads their team up the steps to the Royal box where the chosen dignitary hands over the Cup and the medals. That one individual, and the players are the focus. Not the hangers on who are seated in the same area, as there is a wall between them and the players preventing them pushing forward and trying to share the limelight.
One of the great things about the set-up with the FA Cup final is that everything is pretty much already in place. Sure, the winners ribbons have to be attached to the Cup, their name engraved, and the trophy placed on the velvet on the parapet to be presented, but that is about it.
It is smooth, it it is slick and the fans know that the presentation will happen swiftly after the final whistle has sounded.
Sadly, with many sports such smooth and slick presentations simply do not happen. Which shows how those running the event are out of touch with the fans. Frequently now when the presentation is taking too long to happen fans start to leave the venue. Which is sad for the athletes who have their moment of glory diminished, as they do not receive their reward in front of a packed stadium.
One reason that these presentations take so long is because of the speeches. Seriously, at the end of a tournament or a pulsating game the last thing that any fan let alone a player wants to hear are speeches from people they really do not care about. What makes it even more unbearable is those making the speeches seem to think that they are the stars of the show.
Gone are the days when administrators were in the main unknown. Now many are determined that they have their 15 minutes of fame. They are very easy to identify without going to an event, they are the CEO’s who have to be quoted in every press release. In team sports some are even quoted when a coach signs a new player, an area that is in truth of no concern to them. They are the ones who will never miss a photo opportunity. News of one employee resigning in part because their CEO flew across the country to be in a photo backs up the feelings bubbling under the surface.
Politicians we all know cannot help themselves. They see a microphone and they have to talk, and usually for far too long. One example of this was at the Hopman Cup back in 2013 at what was then the new RAC Arena in Perth. Despite the final ending at 0050hrs those who stayed behind, and the players had no choice, had to endure 20 minutes of speeches. Many fans had walked out by the time the presentation actually happened as they were relying on public transport which was due to finish. (Tennis The Winner – Lessons to Be Learned For Venue).
However, what is a major concern now is the number of hangers-on that want to be a part of the presentations. All sports need to take a serious look at who has access pitch side at such events, and reduce the number of those given passes, and those who are a part of the actual presentations.
Even at local sporting events at the level below the full time professional set up we are beginning to see – what is the collective noun for Board members? – a gaggle of board members lurking in the background at the presentations.come finals time. Why are they there?
After the behaviour of the President of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales at the presentation of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA has to revisit who is involved in the presentation ceremony, and it has to be paired back to either the President of FIFA or the head of state or similar from the host nation. There is no need for anyone else to be involved. Certainly one has to question why administrators from the two finalists need to be involved. This is not their moment, it is a moment that should be about the players and the support staff, and only those individuals.
These people seeking the limelight need to return to the background where for decades they stayed, often only appearing when their hard work and contributions were to be recognised with an award of their own.
Of course that was not always the case. Back in the 1960’s the President of the International Olympic Committee was one of the first to push himself to the forefront of his sport. Possibly, like many who have followed in many sports, as a former athlete he yearned to still be in the limelight, recognised and relevant.
The problem was Avery Brundage was opinionated. He has been described as ‘a bigot’, ‘a racist’ and ‘a misogynist.’ The outcome was he was not a popular man amongst the sport he oversaw. As a result, come the medal ceremonies at the Olympic Games, and in particular at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games, he had to be very careful as to which events he presented medals to the victorious athletes, as he was well aware that amongst the USA team many were not going to shake his hand if he was presenting their medals. Rather than face such an affront to his ego, he opted to be involved in far less presentations than had been planned.
One feels that similar stances are likely to be taken in other sports in the future unless the choice of dignitary involved is far more selective, and the number is greatly reduced. Certainly no administrators involved with teams contesting the final should be involved in the future.
The key to the success of the FA Cup Final presentation is it is simple. It is also relatively swift. The presentations are the World Athletic Championships were also swift, and not hours after the event as happens at the Olympic Games. They were relevant to that moment, and one felt that they added to the athlete’s euphoria and time in the spotlight. Certainly most fans seemed in favour of the swift recognition they received. Although come the Olympic Games nearly all would want their moment on the dais, but just may like it straight after the event.
Other sports can take note of this and if they change accordingly can restore the magic of that moment of victory for the athletes, who after all are the reason we tune in or buy tickets to attend. They are the ones we want to see. They are the ones we want to celebrate.
Errol, I could not agree more.
Much warranted piece! The Presentation ceremony should be short and sweet. Among many reasons, the fact there is a set of tearful, pained faces in the sea of jubilation — the sad and lonely silver medalists — should be a pertinent reason to wrap it up as swiftly as possible. The FIH 2002 Hockey World Cup trophy presentation ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, for example, was inordinately long. After the exuberant celebrations by the Germams, the protracted pomp and show by the local organizers stretched the agony for many an Australian player, some of whom broke down on the podium and had to be shielded from public gaze by emotionally stronger members.