Andy Murray won't be attending Sports Personality of the Year even if he wins
The tennis star is the favourite to take the title for a third time, but he won't be around to collect it if he does
Even if Andy Murray wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year game, set and match, the tennis star will not be there to collect the award – but he has a pretty good reason.
Murray is currently hot favourite to take the trophy, ahead of Alistair Brownlee, Mo Farah and Laura Trott. If he wins yet again he will become the first person in history to do so three times.
But the sports star has revealed he won't even be in the country when the event takes place on 18th December, because of his father's wedding.
Going over his scheduling woes, Murray told the Independent that he has decided to delay a trip to the US in order to attend his father's wedding, meaning that when SPOTY takes place he'll need to be back in Miami training.
"I would have [gone to the Sports Personality of the Year] if my Dad wasn’t getting married," he explained.
"I would have gone to Miami a bit earlier and then would have come back for it, but because I am not able to go to Miami until I am, I am only going to get in two weeks’ training.
"I can’t really afford to come back and lose a few days."
But though Murray is the favourite to win, he is not clearing a space in his trophy cabinet just yet – especially given it is an Olympic year with a bumper crop of medals for Team GB.
"I have no idea who will win it, but in an Olympic year it’s always tough to pick because there are always so many great performances," Murray said.
"What [the Brownlee brothers] have done throughout the whole year is pretty amazing and I see that as pretty cool because I have a pretty similar thing with my own brother."
The awards show will take place on Sunday 18th December in Birmingham, presented by Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan. It will be broadcast live on BBC1 and BBC Radio 5 live.
