The Scoop

Boris Johnson booed for holding up play at ATP final

Adam Bienkov | Monday 28 November, 2011 09:25

Boris Johnson’s atrocious timekeeping skills finally came back to bite him last night at the o2.

The Daily Mirror reports (via one Adam Bienkov)

The bumbling Mayor of London struck a massive fault as he distracted French star Tsonga in the ATP World Tour Final at the O2 in London. TV cameras showing the action live on BBC2 yesterday zoomed in to capture the excruciating moment the Tory blundered back to his seat. A BBC text commentary read: “BORIS STOPS PLAY! Tsonga has to check his serve as the Mayor of London bumbles to his seat.” The moment sparked a flurry of comments on Twitter before Federer went on to win the match in three sets. Adam Bienkov wrote: “Boris being booed by the crowd at the ATP World Tour final for holding up play. Oh dear.” He added: “Boris learning that his habit of being late for almost occasion not always appreciated.”

The Mayor is consistently late for events, believing apparently, that this adds to his charm.

It doesn’t, as residents of Croydon found out last week:

WHEN you are booked to make a major announcement about post riot regeneration for Croydon before 200 top businesspeople, it is a good idea to arrive on time. But things went dramatically wrong for London mayor Boris Johnson and delegates at the Develop Croydon conference were left waiting for about an hour to hear about his funding initiative… It appears his hassles started when, arriving late and on his own, at London Bridge, he leapt on the first train with an “East” on the destination board. Unfortunately the train was on its way to East Dulwich, not East Croydon.

This isn’t looking good for the Olympics is it?


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