The 2012 London Olympics is fondly remembered by British athletes who competed for Olympic glory on home soil – but for Judy Murray the experience was tainted.
The mother of tennis legend Andy Murray was selected to captain the women’s players at the Games, where Team GB medalled in two events, but was left red-faced after organisers forgot to provide her with any kit.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ ‘Rise With Us’ programme back in 2021, the 64-year-old lifted the lid on the moment she realised she’d been neglected.
READ MORE: Andy Murray to play new sport after retiring from tennis as he rules out return
READ MORE: Andy Murray ‘clashes’ with partner over Emma Raducanu photo and ‘wipe your bum’ comment
“I was the captain of the Fed Cup team, so therefore I was the captain of the tennis team at the Olympics and we had four girls playing in it,” Judy explained. “I remember going to the team house, which was very close to Wimbledon so we could just walk across.
“So there was [kit for] all the coaches, the players, the fitness trainers. And I walked round the whole thing and thought, ‘There isn’t one for me, there isn’t one with my name on it’.
“So I took my time and then I said to the guy who was the team manager: ‘Where’s my kit?’ And the look on his face! ‘I forgot about you… I forgot. I haven’t got any for you’.”
Murray initially thought it was a joke but soon sought an explanation when she realised the oversight was real. She managed to assemble an outfit from pieces borrowed from other team members, yet the incident left her feeling undervalued and ignored, the Express report.
“It wasn’t in their psyche to have a female coach and I really sucked it up because of the team spirit thing,” she said. “I didn’t want the girls to see a row or anything like that going on, but, internally, that was an incredibly tough thing for me and just another example of men seeing things with men’s eyes and not being used to having women in ‘their’ workforce.
“It was such a massive moment in my life to be the captain, and I wanted to look the part along with the girls, and I couldn’t.”
Despite the setback, Team GB secured two tennis medals at the London 2012 Olympics, with Judy’s son Andy Murray clinching his first Olympic gold in singles by defeating Roger Federer and also securing a silver alongside Laura Robson in the mixed doubles.
Judy is cheering on son Andy in his final Olympic Games, with the British legend competing out in Paris in the men’s doubles with partner Dan Evans. They scraped through the first round on Sunday against their Japanese opponents and face Belgian opposition next.
EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel
