And within minutes of Andy Murray holding the Wimbledon trophy aloft, there was talk of a knighthood to add to his OBE honour recognising his Olympic and US Open triumphs a year earlier.
David Cameron, who watched the match from the Royal Box, gushed: ‘It was an absolutely brilliant performance, an amazing day for Andy Murray but also an incredible day for British tennis and for Britain.’
History man: Andy Murray lifts the Wimbledon
men's singles trophy in July after becoming the first Briton to win the
tournament in 77 years
Soon afterwards, Downing Street added to the knighthood fever by declaring it was a ‘safe bet’ that they would be recommmending Murray in the New Year’s Honours List.
After all, Bradley Wiggins became a Sir for becoming the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France in its 100-year history.
But sources who have seen the list say Murray has been snubbed by senior mandarins.
The Mail understands that civil servants decided that Murray, 26, could not receive a knighthood since it is too soon to give him another honour – a move dismissed as ‘stuffy’ by one insider.
The snub comes as mandarins also seek to crack down on high profile gongs for celebrities amidfears that actors, sportsmen and other figures seeking to ‘game the system’, where they reject minor honours hoping to receive better recognition later – a tactic clearly not used by Murray.
‘His name’s not on the list. It’s quite a boring list,’ one Whitehall source said.
‘You can’t get a second honour so soon after the first.’
Snub: Andy Murray shows off his OBE outside
Buckingham Palace with long time girlfriend Kim Sears, but he is not to
receive a knighthood in the New Years honours list
But another senior figure said the rules were not hard and fast and it was a pity that Murray has not been honoured. ‘It looks a bit stuffy,’ the source said.
Decisions about honours are made by a series of committees, including one dedicated to sport, which is led by the London 2012 supremo Lord Coe.
Their recommendations are then considered by the main Honours Committee, whose chairman is Sir Bob Kerslake, head of the Home Civil Service.
Decisions about honours are made by a series of
committees, including one dedicated to sport, which is led by London
2012 supremo Lord Coe
Whitehall sources say that Murray may be the victim of a crackdown on celebrities and sports stars getting gongs.
Record numbers of honours were given out last year for Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists, against the wishes of some mandarins who wanted the numbers limited.
Knighthoods were awarded to cycling team boss Dave Brailsford and sailor Ben Ainslie.
Senior officials have also complained to the Government about the leaking of the names of celebrity winners in advance of the awards.
And insiders say Murray has fallen victim to a desire by senior mandarins to enforce the rules rigidly as a result of a growing tendency of high profile figures manipulating the system to get better gongs.
One source familiar with the process said: ‘They phone up or write back and say “Do you know, I’m not sure I’ve done anything worthwhile this year. Why not wait until I have done something really worthwhile”.
‘They know that if you get an MBE or an OBE that you have to wait a few years for something better.’
The source added: ‘Celebrities are increasingly gaming the system. They want the CBEs and the knighthoods. It’s a bit cheeky. Perhaps Andy Murray should have tried that.’
Officials say that, as a general rule, MBEs are for people who have made a major contribution to their local community, OBEs are for those whose achievements are recognised nationally, while CBEs and knighthoods are for those whose performance is internationally renowned.
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