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BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award

Award for sport personalities with health problems

BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award
Summary

Award for sport personalities with health problems

FieldValue
nameBBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award
presenterBBC Sports Personality of the Year
countryUnited Kingdom
year
holderSergio Aguiar
David Stancombe (2025)
holder_labelMost recent winner

David Stancombe (2025) The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award is an award given annually as part of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony each December. The award is given “for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity”, and BBC Sport selects the winner.

The award is named after the BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason, who died in August 1999 at the age of 43 after suffering from cancer for two years. Helen Rollason was the first female presenter of Grandstand. After being diagnosed with cancer, she helped raise over £5 million to set up a cancer wing at the North Middlesex Hospital, where she received most of her treatment.

History

Head-and-torso photograph of Geoff Thomas standing in a lecture room wearing a grey chalk-stripe suit and waistcoat, and an open collared blue shirt
Geoff Thomas]], who won the award in 2005

The inaugural recipient of the award was horse trainer Jenny Pitman, in 1999. Other winners include South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who won the award in 2007. Several recipients have not played a sport professionally, including Jane Tomlinson, who won in 2002, Kirsty Howard (2004), Phil Packer (2009), Anne Williams, who received the award posthumously in 2013, and eight-year-old Bailey Matthews (2015). Michael Watson, who won the award in 2003, had a career in boxing but was paralysed and almost killed in a title bout with Chris Eubank. He won the award for completing the London Marathon, an accomplishment that took him six days. Former footballer Geoff Thomas won the award in 2005; he raised money by cycling the 2,200 miles (3,540.56 km) of the 2005 Tour de France course in the same number of days as the professionals completed it. In 2006, Paul Hunter posthumously received the award; he died from dozens of malignant neuroendocrine tumours – his widow Lindsay accepted the award on his behalf.

Winners

By year

YearNat.WinnerSport(s)RationaleNoteMajorAnne WilliamsInvictus Games CompetitorsBailey MatthewsBen SmithBradley LoweryBilly MongerDoddie WeirCaptain Sir Thomas MooreJen BeattieRob BurrowFatima WhitbreadMark PrinceSergio Aguiar and David Stancombe
1999ENGHorse racingfor "one of national hunt's greatest trainers" who retired earlier in 1999 after suffering from cancer.
2000WALAthleticsfor winning "gold in the 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m events" at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.
2001ENGSailingfor her courage in becoming fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe.
2002ENG—for completing "the London Marathon, a triathlon and the Great North Run" and raising money for Cancer Research, after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
2003ENGBoxingfor completing the London Marathon and "raising millions of pounds for the Brain and Spine Foundation", despite being told previously that "he would never walk again".
2004ENG—for raising money for poorly children in Francis House hospice through Kirsty's Appeal, despite having an inoperable heart condition.
2005ENGFootballfor raising "more than £150,000 for the Leukaemia Research charity" by cycling, following his own battle with the disease.
2006ENGSnookerawarded posthumously "in recognition of his bravery and determination to continue playing while trying to beat [cancer]."
2007RSAAthleticsfor his fight to be allowed to "race in both the Olympics and the Paralympics" in 2008.
2008ENGCricket, Rugby unionfor fundraising and raising awareness of multiple sclerosis since being diagnosed with the disease in 1999.
2009ENG—for fundraising over £1.2 million for the Help for Heroes charity, despite being paraplegic since sustaining injuries in the Iraq War.
2010ENGFormula Onefor founding the Williams Formula One team which has so far won nine constructors' titles and seven drivers' championships despite himself suffering an accident in 1986 in which he sustained a severe spinal cord injury.
2011ENGHorse racingfor beating cancer then winning the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti, then raising money for The Bob Champion Cancer Trust.
2012ENGSitting volleyballfor achieving selection for GB Sitting Volleyball team at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, having been "the most seriously injured person to survive" the 7/7 bombings the day after London was announced as host of those Games.
2013ENG—awarded posthumously for campaigning for justice for Hillsborough victims.
201414 countriesDisability sportawarded for the central contributions to the success of inaugural multi-sport events for injured military personnel.
2015ENGTriathlon8-year-old Bailey, who has cerebral palsy, completed his first triathlon earlier in the year, throwing away his walking frame to complete the last 20 yards of the final running event on his own
2016ENGRunningfor running 401 marathons in 401 days in order to raise funds and awareness for two anti bullying charities, Kidscape and Stonewall, inspiring thousands of people along the way including school children to whom he spoke and people who ran with him.
2017ENG—awarded posthumously after he "captured hearts across the sporting world" during appearances as a mascot, while he had neuroblastoma; accepted by the Lowery family.
2018ENGMotorsportFor returning to racing after a double leg amputation following a crash.
2019SCORugby unionFor raising awareness of motor neurone disease through his charitable foundation.
2020ENGWalkingFor his fundrasing efforts in aid of NHS Charities Together, raising over £30 million by walking 100 laps of his 25-metre garden before his 100th birthday.
2021SCOFootballFor continuing to play for both club and country after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
2022ENGRugby leagueFor raising awareness of and fundraising for motor neurone disease
2023ENGAthleticsFor her campaigning for children and those in the care system, after she spent the first fourteen years of her life in a children's home.
2024ENGBoxingRecognition for his work at the Kiyan Prince Foundation, a charity he founded in memory of his son, that uses boxing to deter people from getting involved in knife crime
2025ENG

By nationality

This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients of each nationality, based on the principle of jus soli.

NationalityNumber of wins
22
2
1
1

By sport

This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients' sporting profession.

Sporting professionNumber of winsAthleticsFootballHorse racingBoxingDisability multi-sportFormula OneSailingSnookerSitting volleyballCricketRugby leagueRugby unionTriathlonOther
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
6

Notes

  • Jane Tomlinson was an amateur athlete who competed in marathons, and triathlons – these represent sporting disciplines of athletics, swimming, and cycling.
  • Kirsty Howard was the mascot accompanying David Beckham for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Greece and later became the final carrier in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
  • Major Phil Packer raised money by rowing across the English Channel, completing the London Marathon, and climbing.
  • The fractions refer to Alastair Hignell, who played cricket professionally and rugby union at the top level.

References

General

Specific

References

  1. (18 November 2008). "Sports Personality voting & judging: Terms & conditions". BBC.
  2. Marks, Kathy. (10 August 1999). "BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason dies". [[Independent News & Media]].
  3. Shannon, Sarah. (4 November 1999). "BBC bravery award to remember Helen". [[Evening Standard]].
  4. (10 August 1999). "Helen Rollason: Presenter with fighting spirit". BBC.
  5. Fordyce, Tom. (19 April 2003). "Poignant end to Watson's epic journey". BBC.
  6. "Geoff Thomas Takes on the World of Mountain Biking". [[British Cycling]].
  7. (9 October 2006). "Hunter loses battle with cancer". BBC.
  8. (12 December 1999). "Lewis heads sporting honours". BBC.
  9. Allison, Rebecca. (12 December 2000). "Lack of ramp mars athlete's glory". [[The Guardian]].
  10. (10 December 2000). "Redgrave voted Britain's best". BBC.
  11. Eden, Richard. (19 June 2001). "BBC gaffe over award for disabled athlete". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
  12. (7 December 2001). "Ellen's tough voyage". BBC.
  13. (9 December 2001). "Sports Awards: Beckham is personality of 2001". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
  14. (8 December 2002). "Jane's fighting spirit". BBC.
  15. Seaton, Matt. (18 March 2005). "'I have the right to live the way I want'". [[The Guardian]].
  16. (14 December 2003). "Watson's epic fightback". BBC.
  17. Norton, Charlie. (15 December 2003). "Wilkinson and Redgrave scoop top BBC awards". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
  18. (12 December 2004). "Little Kirsty lands BBC honour". BBC.
  19. Rowbottom, Mike. (13 December 2004). "Sports Awards: Holmes wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year". [[Independent News & Media]].
  20. (11 December 2005). "Sports Personality: The winners". BBC.
  21. Philip, Robert. (21 December 2005). "Thomas makes most of wheel of fortune". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
  22. (10 December 2006). "Sports Personality: The winners". BBC.
  23. Corrigan, James. (11 December 2006). "Phillips is surprise winner of top Sports Personality award". [[Independent News & Media]].
  24. (9 December 2007). "Calzaghe wins Sports Personality". BBC.
  25. Clare, Richard. (9 December 2007). "Joe Calzaghe wins BBC Sports Personality". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
  26. (14 December 2008). "BBC award for commentator Hignell". BBC.
  27. Roughley, Gregg. (14 December 2008). "BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2008 – as it happened". [[The Guardian]].
  28. (13 December 2009). "Major Phil Packer wins Helen Rollason award". BBC.
  29. Ryan, Wood. (19 December 2010). "Sir Frank Williams honoured at BBC SPOTY awards". [[The F1 Times]].
  30. Keogh, Frank. (2011-12-18). "BBC Sport – Sports Personality: Bob Champion wins BBC's Helen Rollason award". BBC News.
  31. (16 December 2012). "Sports Personality: Martine Wright wins Helen Rollason Award". [[BBC Sport]].
  32. (2013-12-15). "Anne Williams: BBC award for Hillsborough campaigner". BBC News.
  33. Watson, Jeremy. (15 December 2014). "Stars of the first Invictus Games honoured by Prince Harry". [[The Times]].
  34. (2015-12-20). "Sports Personality: Bailey Matthews wins the Helen Rollason award". BBC News.
  35. (18 December 2016). "BBC Sports Personality 2016: Ben Smith receives Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport.
  36. (17 December 2017). "Bradley Lowery to be honoured at Sports Personality of the Year awards". [[The Independent]].
  37. (2018-12-16). "Sports Personality of the Year: Billy Monger wins Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport.
  38. (2019-12-15). "Doddie Weir wins Helen Rollason Award at Sports Personality 2019". BBC Sport.
  39. (2020-12-12). "Captain Sir Tom Moore wins Helen Rollason Award at Sports Personality of the Year 2020". BBC Sport.
  40. (19 December 2021). "Sports Personality 2021: Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie wins Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport.
  41. (21 December 2022). "'This is for MND warriors' – Burrow & Sinfield honoured". BBC Sport.
  42. "'Her will to succeed was born from her will to survive'". BBC Sport.
  43. Smith, Emma. (17 December 2024). "Charity founder Prince receives Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport.
  44. Kearns, Sean. (18 December 2025). "Southport girls' fathers win Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport.
  45. Lindsay, Clive. (24 July 2002). "Brave Kirsty given baton honour". BBC.
Wikipedia Source

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