Absurdity piled on absurdity

I know the whole honours system is slightly absurd, but the Independent on Sunday has an interesting article on the consternation Kelly Holmes' double Athens success has caused for the Cabinet Office:

The extraordinary success of double-gold winner Kelly Holmes is causing consternation in the Whitehall unit that hands out honours.

According to an unofficial rule thrashed out after the Sydney Olympics, the 34-year-old national heroine should receive a CBE in the New Year's Honours.

However, the "senior honour", one rank below a dame-hood, is considered too generous for an athlete who has only just been given an MBE, the most lowly honour....

The so-called "Sydney formula" means that medal winners are moved up one rank for each gold they win. Holmes's two medals mean that she should leapfrog an OBE and be made CBE. The formula also means Matthew Pinsent (pictured) is almost certain to be knighted for his fourth gold medal in Athens. However, even this is problematic, since Whitehall is eyeing nervously the prospect of Pinsent winning a fifth gold in Beijing.

It's lucky for the Cabinet Office that our successful athletes are in the sports where winning multiple medals (of any form) is highly unlikely - consider that Holmes was the first Briton to win two golds at single Games in many years (indeed, Bradley Wiggins three medals - one of each - was the equal best performance ever by an individual British athlete). If we had any really successful swimmers or gymnasts - two Olympic events where multiple medals for individuals are commonplace - then the one step up for every gold rule would soon lead to some very interesting results. A British Ian Thorpe or Michael Phelps could result in the Cabinet Office having to find a vacant Duchy.