Bermuda's sole Olympic medallist Clarence Hill says he was a “bit shocked but not entirely surprised” by his omission from Saturday night's list of inaugural inductees to the newly-established Sports Hall of Fame.

While listed among the 25 nominees for inauguration, the former Bermuda heavyweight boxing champion failed to make the final cut of ten, sparking a wave of controversy.

Yesterday's local radio talk shows were inundated with callers complaining of Hill's omission.

But the long-retired 52-year-old former fighter, who captured bronze at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, said yesterday: “Even though I have been in trouble (with the law) and represented my country and done well . . . when it comes down to recognition it's a different story.”

“It certainly was not what I expected,” added Hill. “It was not what I had expected because being the only local athlete to win an Olympic medal for Bermuda - in the history of Bermuda - you would have thought that I would've been the first athlete chosen to go into the Hall of Fame.

“I think I should've been inducted on my athletic ability and not on my social ability. I represented my country as a boxer and I was clean then . . . I wasn't a (drug) addict then. Therefore, why can't I receive my due for being an athlete?

“I left Bermuda and carried my country's flag and did good by winning Bermuda's first Olympic medal. But when I returned home there wasn't many people at the airport to welcome me back - only my mother and a few people from the Pembroke Youth Centre (PYC).”

Hill noted that other countries around the world often went to great lengths to honour their athletes whenever they achieved success in the Olympic arena.

“I never received anything like that. No motorcade . . . nothing. It was unbelievable.

“I can recall when another local Olympic team returned from the Games, they had a motorcade from City Hall to the Cabinet building and kids from all the schools were on the roadside congratulating them for coming back. Here it is I came third in the world in the Olympics and they never had that for me. I went to the Cabinet building and was kicked off the property.”

While Hill admits he has made mistakes in the past, he feels society continues to “punish” him for his downfalls.

“It seems as though society has never forgotten the past. Society prefers to keep punishing me for my faults - they never forget,” he said.

“Most people have forgiven me but people in higher places have not. But no matter what I have done I should've been inducted being the only Bermudian to have won an Olympic medal.”

Hill strongly feels that in the future all nominees for the Hall should be judged on their achievement in sport - and not by what transpires in their personal life. The criteria for this year's inductees stated all candidates must have been retired from sport for a minimum of five years while emphasising that persons must be “of integrity and good character”.

“There are athletes all around the world who have experienced ups and downs in their lives but are still inducted into the Hall of Fame. Look at OJ Simpson or Diego Maradona . . . they are still in the Hall of Fame,” said Hill.

“No matter what I have done personally in my life, the bottom line is that I am still the first Bermudian to bring an Olympic medal back to this country and automatically that should've been Hall of Fame material.”

The fighter, who finished with a professional record of 29 wins and just two losses, reckoned generations to come would be inspired by both his accomplishments inside and beyond the ring.

“The ups and downs that I have been through in my life in Bermuda . . . you would think my induction into the Hall of Fame would be used as an incentive to show kids coming up that any man can fall down and then get back on his feet,” he explained. “Any man born can fall - to fall is not to fail. To fail is to fall down and not be able to get back on your feet, and I have got back on my feet.”

Hill said he was now drug free, having received treatment, and was now a devoted Christian.

“I have realised what I have been through and put myself through and I have now changed. I have received treatment (for drug addiction) and I have no animosity about what happened on Saturday night.

“I only would've been upset if my life hadn't changed. But since my life has changed I just look at it as a mistake on their (selection panel) part,” he said.

“Life goes on and hopefully the next time around I will be inducted. But the main thing in my life today is that I worship God to the utmost and everything that happens to me today I just leave it with God. God has a reason for what's happening with me today and what happened on Saturday was for a reason. I am now a Christian, and I serve God.”