Ethnic diversity sports awards to be launched next year

Britain’s black and minority ethnic (BME) sportsmen and women will be recognised at a brand new awards ceremony next year.

The British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards (BEDSA) will be the first awards to celebrate the achievements of ethnic minority communities in British sport.

Awards will be handed out in 12 categories:

• Young sports person of the year

• Unsung hero award• Coach of the year

• Behind the scenes award• Community sports project

• Inspirational performance of the year• Sportsman of the year

• Sportswoman of the year

The first ever BEDSA award ceremony will be held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry in February 2015 and is expected to attract more than 800 people.

A number of Team GB’s most successful athletes – past and present – come from a BME background. These include Mohamed "Mo" Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Dame Kelly Holmes, Christine Ohuruogu and Linford Christie.

A study in 2012 by think tank British Future showed that immigration was a factor in at least 24 of the 65 medals won by Team GB at London 2012 – while a third of British medal winners at the Games were born abroad.

To find out more about the awards, click here for the BEDSA website.