Wheels of misfortune: Hoy attacks politicians just as Brown holds him up as best of British

Published on Thursday 4 September 2008 22:11

CHRIS Hoy, the triple Olympic cycling gold medallist, has spoken of his dismay at having politicians "cash in" on his success – unaware he was about to be held up as a shining example of Britishness by the Prime Minister.

Scots-born Hoy, who became the first Briton in a century to win three golds in his success at the Beijing Games, said he was annoyed at being dragged into the political debate about being Scottish or British.

Hoy made the comments in a pre-recorded TV interview with Jonathan Ross, to be broadcast tonight. But last night, Gordon Brown, addressing the CBI Scotland dinner in Glasgow, quoted remarks made by Hoy saying that he would not have won three golds if he had not been part of the UK team.

Mr Brown said: "As our triple gold medallist Chris Hoy said, 'Scotland is part of Britain – they are not mutually exclusive. I wouldn't have three gold medals hanging round my neck if I wasn't part of the British team'."

Shortly after his Olympic success, Hoy had become embroiled in a debate over the feasibility of a Scottish Olympic team.

Alex Salmond, the First Minister, made the proposal but Hoy, born in Edinburgh, felt it was timed to capitalise on his achievements.

"I was annoyed at getting drawn into a political debate when I'm an athlete. I ride a bike, I'm not a politician," he said. "Politicians want to be involved so that they can get some sort of association with your success and benefit from the positive feeling in your country.

"I was frustrated by the whole debate because I felt like I'd been misrepresented. I wasn't being anti-Scottish.

"If there was a Scottish team in the Olympics, of course I'd want to be part of it, just like I am at the Commonwealth Games. But I felt the politicians were just trying to cash in on our success."

Hoy reiterated that his objection to a Scottish team was based on feasibility and not a lack of national pride.