Cycling hero hits a low point

[Cycleops]

From being Britain's most celebrated cyclist and Olympian. Bradley Wiggins is now bankrupt and may have his medals seized.
Such a sad end to an illustrious career. What a spectacular fall.

https://road.cc/content/news/sir-bradley-wiggins-medals-may-be-seized-over-bankruptcy-308765

 

[Paulus]

It's a shame when a sporting icon falls on hard times. Reading the report it seems much of the mess stems from third parties who's business accumen was not what it should of been.

 

[presta]

It appears that the nature of his business was "Other sports activities - Sports image rights merchandise". Is that selling the rights to use his name and image? If so, that seems a flimsy basis for running a business over the long term once his fame has faded.

 

[wafter]

It appears that the nature of his business was "Other sports activities - Sports image rights merchandise". Is that selling the rights to use his name and image? If so, that seems a flimsy basis for running a business over the long term once his fame has faded.

Thing is, realistically what else is there to do?

While it's right to respect those who are at the top of their sporting game, for most of them they're a one-trick pony with a skill that typically has no real-world application beyond whoring themselves out for dubious marketing-driven associations with tertiary products.

 

[Emanresu]

If I may make a slight complaint about the heading. The guy like many, many others has suffered from poor decisions or poor advice. Going bankrupt or using one of the other forms of bankruptcy occurs every day. It doesn't detract from the person's achievements so the term "zero" can never apply.

May I ask for the title to be changed to something more accurate?

 

[Cycleops]

Appreciate your comment @Emanresu . What title would you suggest?
I have great respect for his achievements. He has done so much for cycling and for his country and I'm not wishing to belittle that. Possibly badly advised and made some wrong choices, it's such a shame it's come to this low point in his life.

 

[Emanresu]

I'm coming at this from the other side of the table - helping people avoid HMRC bankrupting you. He'll be able to have some form of income; be able to have a car (though not a great one); he may even be able to have a few bikes if they are part of his 'trade'. The baubles are going but his achievements remain. It will be a tough 12 months.

Perhaps 'Cycling hero hits a bad patch' might sort of sum up where he is at the moment.

 

[Cycleops]

I think it's rather worse than a 'bad patch'. As bad patches go it doesn't get a lot lower. Okay, so let's compromise. 'Cycling hero hits a low point' ?

 

[screenman]

I think it's rather worse than a 'bad patch'. As bad patches go it doesn't get a lot lower. Okay, so let's compromise. 'Cycling hero hits a low point' ?

Life can get a lot lower than that, believe me.

 

[mjr]

Appreciate your comment @Emanresu . What title would you suggest?
I have great respect for his achievements. He has done so much for cycling and for his country and I'm not wishing to belittle that. Possibly badly advised and made some wrong choices, it's such a shame it's come to this low point in his life.

Looking at some other multi gold medallists, Hoy became a racing driver and I'm not sure what he's doing now besides trying to overcome cancer; Redgrave and one Kenny became coaches in their sports; while the other Kenny has only retired a few months ago.

Not sure any of that helps. 🤷

 

[matticus]

I think it's rather worse than a 'bad patch'. As bad patches go it doesn't get a lot lower. Okay, so let's compromise. 'Cycling hero hits a low point' ?

He's had some worse stuff to deal with. Certainly worse than the experiences of most people lining up to give him a kicking over the years.

From the article:

Bradley Wiggins says "borderline rape" by former coach led to him using "cycling as distraction"

Since his retirement in 2016, however, he has spoken candidly of the pressures of coming to terms with fame, his struggles with depression and about the break-up of his marriage to his wife Cath, with whom he has two children, Ben and Bella.

A year ago, he also spoke out about the abuse he suffered as a child, calling it "borderline rape" and even let out the fact that he turned to cycling as a distraction. A few months later, he named Stan Knight, who died in 2003, as the coach who sexually abused him and other young riders.

He said that the coach would take him on training camps to a youth hostel in Dorset aged 12, sleep in the same bed and abuse him in the shower, accusations repeated in the account of another victim. He explained how the abuse would begin with "minor acts" presented under the pretence that Knight's actions were just to help with sporting performance.

p.s. that was very respectful to change the title. Chapeau.👍

 

[Slick]

To be fair, as my old aunt used to say, there's none of us through the world yet and this sort of thing could happen to any of us.

 

[Cycleops]

To be fair, as my old aunt used to say, there's none of us through the world yet and this sort of thing could happen to any of us.

Apart from winning the TdF and the knighthood of course

 

[BrumJim]

Apart from winning the TdF and the knighthood of course

I've still got time?

 

[Slick]

Apart from winning the TdF and the knighthood of course

Yes, we'll there is that.