BBC's disservice to voice of cycling Hugh Porter shows befuddled Auntie is no company for old men Porter is 73 years old, but still held aspirations of carrying on to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year, or even the Rio Olympics. "It did come as a shock," he says. This has been my life since I was 10 years of age. There's going to be people who are glad to see the back of me, but I've found it quite hard to come to terms with. The thing is they want me to do the skating next year, so why couldn't I have carried on doing the cycling this year? The modern BBC is no company for old men. Porter will not be the last employee to be unceremoniously pensioned off despite having plenty to offer. But what makes this story all the more intriguing is how the corporation attempted to handle Porter's sacking. An announcement was aired during the BBC's world championship coverage, implying that Porter had simply stepped into the gaping maw of retirement. "A bit of a changing of the guard in the BBC Sport cycling team," presenter Jonathan Edwards said, "as the irrepressible Hugh Porter moves on to pastures new." There followed a touching tribute package, featuring some highlights from Porter's career - Chris Boardman winning gold in Barcelona, Bradley Wiggins in Athens, Hoy in Beijing, Victoria Pendleton in London. At no point was there the slightest suggestion that Porter's departure had been somewhat less than voluntary. Indeed, one viewer who contacted the BBC's complaints department to raise the issue was given a wholly misleading explanation. "We understand you're unhappy with reports that Hugh Porter will no longer be providing commentary for our cycling coverage," read the response. "Hugh Porter has retired from the BBC cycling commentary team after 30 years" service." When presented with this evidence, the BBC admitted it was incorrect and apologised for the error. However, the affair is in indication of the ingrained befuddlement at BBC Sport, a place entranced with its public perception, convinced of the need to evolve, but with no real idea of how to do it. If they wanted to replace Porter with a younger model, so be it. But the obfuscation and misinformation that has surrounded the change does a disservice to one of sport's most distinctive voices. You feel for Porter, a man who has given his life to cycling, and will continue to be involved in the sport, possibly as ITV4"s commentator for the Tour of Britain. And you feel for Brotherton, whose accession will inevitably be overshadowed by its circumstances. But most of all, you feel for the viewer. Both the committed and casual observer have had their love of the sport enriched by Porter over the last three decades. A part of cycling's history has been wrenched away, and the very least the BBC owes us is a justification.