YOU don’t have to go back too far to find a time when the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award was a damning indictment of the state of British sport.

Greg Rusedski won in 1997 for being a beaten finalist at the US Open. Damon Hill won the first of his two awards in 1994 even though he finished behind Michael Schumacher in the race for the Formula One drivers’ title. David Beckham was triumphant in 2001 on the strength of one free-kick.

And even that was to salvage a draw with Greece.

This year’s shortlist confirms that we are living in an especially glorious era.

Maybe not in the team sports of football, rugby and cricket – although there are finally signs of life in the latter – but certainly in a range of endeavours that see Britain at the top of the world.

Andy Murray and Jessica Ennis-Hill are disputing favouritism for the BBC gong, and either would be a deserved winner. Murray’s heroics with the British Davis Cup team have elevated him to a level of achievement reserved for sport’s all-time greats. EnnisHill, having successfully combined the demands of motherhood with the sacrifices required to be World heptathlon champion, is an example for anyone to follow.

Tyson Fury, for all that some of his views might be objectionable, achieved the unthinkable when he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko and claimed the World heavyweight title last weekend. Chris Froome overcame the best cyclists in the world, and the hostility of the French crowds, to claim a second Tour de France title.

All four have been talked of as potential winners, yet in this week’s debates about the likely recipient of the award, one other name has been conspicuously overlooked.

Bookmakers Boyle Sports make Mo Farah a 100-1 outsider to be lifting the Sports Personality trophy on December 20. In comparison, it’s only 80-1 for alien life to be discovered before 2018.

Farah, don’t forget, won both the 5,000m and 10,000m at this year’s World Athletics Championships, becoming the first man in history to claim a ‘triple double’ of the major distance titles.

His latest world titles can be added to two Olympic golds from London 2012 and the same two honours from the World Championships in Moscow in 2013.

In the wake of his Beijing triumphs, Brendan Foster hailed Farah as “Britain’s greatest ever sportsman”, yet the public at large appear to vociferously disagree.

Why? Because Farah’s relationship with disgraced coach Alberto Salazar has seen him dragged into a drugs controversy that has significantly damaged his reputation, even though he has never been found guilty, indeed never been directly accused, of a doping offence.

In the eyes of many, Farah is guilty by association, yet that is grossly unfair. The 32-year-old could have immediately severed his ties with Salazar when the American was accused by the BBC’s Panorama programme of encouraging some of the athletes under his care to take banned substances, but he chose to give his coach an opportunity to explain himself.

Satisfied with Salazar’s explanations, he continues to work with the head of Nike’s Oregon project. Crucially, an independent audit set up by UK Athletics came out in support of his decision, stating there was “no evidence of impropriety” on the part of Farah and “no reason” to be concerned about his relationship with his coach.

Farah’s troubles did not end there, as it also emerged this summer that he had missed two scheduled drugs tests in the build up to 2012.

Again, though, no rules were broken. Plenty of British athletes have missed two tests, and Farah ensured he did not suffer a third transgression that would almost certainly have triggered a ban.

Yet the missed tests were lumped with the Salazar allegations in a maelstrom of murky insinuations, and Farah has found his reputation tarnished and his name dragged through the mud. In a year that has seen athletics repeatedly embarrassed because of the doping scandal in Russia and the IAAF’s alleged complicity in covering up failed tests, Farah has found himself caught in the crossfire of a far-reaching crisis.

Ultimately, though, if we are going to watch athletics at all, we have to believe that the leading competitors are innocent until proven guilty.

And that being the case, it is a crying shame that Farah’s incredible achievements are being brushed under the carpet in a storm of innuendo and misplaced supposition.

He should be lauded as not only Britain’s greatest-ever distance runner, but also Britain’s greatest-ever athlete. His achievements over the last four years have eclipsed anything achieved by the middle-distance greats Steve Cram, Seb Coe and Steve Ovett, and trumped any of the triumphs that have been celebrated by the rest of the class of 2012.

Before Farah, it was widely assumed that it was impossible for a British distance runner to compete with the leading Africans, never mind beat them on a regular basis. Yet this quiet, unassuming 32-year-old has turned the world of athletics on its head, combining commitment and dedication with a laser-sharp focus that enables him to keep on pushing himself to the very limit in both the long hours of training and the crucial moments when the medals are decided on the track.

His back story, although now well known, remains both inspirational and timely, given the ongoing debates about immigration and the merits of multiculturalism within British society.

Born in Somalia, and having moved to London at the age of eight when he could barely speak a word of English, Farah spent his junior years at Newham and Essex Beagles before hitting the big time.

He is living proof that even today, anyone can make it if they dream big enough and ally hard work and unshakeable belief to their visions of glory.

He has been on the Sports Personality shortlist before, finishing third in 2011 and fourth in both 2012 and 2013.

This year, he is unlikely to finish as high.

That is plainly wrong. We are living through an era where we are spoiled for sporting greats, but Farah deserves a place on the top of the pile. To suggest otherwise is to suspend belief in excellence.

Champ of the Week - Andy Murray

The Northern Echo:

THE Davis Cup might be a team tournament, but Britain’s victory for the first time since 1936 was effectively a personal triumph for Murray. Having already created history by ending the nation’s wait for a Wimbledon winner, the British number one has now ended another drought that many felt would last forever.

Chump of the Week - Fabricio Coloccini

The Northern Echo:

STEVE McClaren read the riot act to the Newcastle skipper last week. His reaction? Another awful performance as the Magpies crashed to a 5-1 defeat at Crystal Palace. There are countless problems holding Newcastle back at the moment, but the lack of leadership coming from their captain is a massive worry.

Performance of the Week - Tyson Fury v Wladimir Klitschko

The Northern Echo:

IT might not have been a vintage World heavyweight fight, but Fury won’t mind that a bit as he basks in the glory of being world champion. The Briton out-thought and out-fought his opponent, and while Klitschko might be on the wane, Fury rose to a level few thought he was capable of achieving.

Charity Bet of the Week

IT was a disappointing weekend as Houblon Des Obeaux failed to justify eachway support in the Hennessy Gold Cup. Hopefully, things will improve tomorrow, so follow @Scottwilsonecho on Twitter for the latest selection. Running total: +£17.25