Christine Sinclair was once again nearly ignored in the discussions to select the Canadian female athlete of the year. Instead, the CP writers went with the feel good choice, figure skater Joannie Rochette.
Rochette won bronze in Vancouver days after her mother died of a heart attack. It was touching stuff and certainly noteworthy, but having a bronze medallist named the female athlete of the year is beyond insane and speaks of sentimentality of the worst kind. Rochette deserves our respect for keeping her focus during a tough time in her life. She's about the 15th best pick to win the award from an athletic perspective.
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One of those 15 athletes more deserving is Sinclair, who didn't even make the top five in votes. Clara Hughes, Christine Nesbitt, Maelle Ricker and Jennifer Heil all finished ahead. All are wonderful athletes -- I actually consider Hughes to be on a short list of greatest Canadian athletes of all-time -- but few can argue that they are considered to be one of the best 10 players in the world in a sport as widely played as soccer.
Days before the award was given I was contacted by someone from the CSA. They were clear that they wanted Sinclair to win the award as a soccer player has never been given it. I suggested that they need to push the issue more. Clearly, the remarkable accomplishments of Sinclair are not getting noticed.
With a World Cup on the horizon there is no excuse for that to continue in 2011.