I SINCERELY hope that R Jeeves (Sports Letters, December 21) is prepared for the onslaught of hate mail he will have no doubt generated in decrying one of the world's greatest-ever sportsmen.

Let's get the facts straight - just how British is Lennox Lewis? Not very much, if his accent is anything to go by.

Lewis is indeed a great fighter. But a great sportsman? That dependson whether you class as a sport two men beating each other to a bloody pulp.

Mr Jeeves is obviously not a motorsport fan. That is apparent from his comments.

To describe Superbikes as a minority sport is the type of inane statement that could only come from someone who has never been to Donington Park amid 120,000 fans (even though it was snowing) most of whom were there to see one man - Carl Fogarty.

When is the British public going to recognise our true 'home grown' champions? How many times does Carl have to win the World Championship before somebody takes notice?

Carl, if you do read this, there are far more people out there appreciative of your prodigious talents than there are detractors, like Mr Jeeves.

ANDY BRADLEY, Abbott Clough Close, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.