Australian Sports Medal

Australian Sports Medal
Obverse of medal and ribbon
Awarded by Australia
Type	Medal
Eligibility	Australian Citizen
Awarded for	Sporting achievements [1]
Status	Ceased
Description	Introduced to recognise Australian sporting achievements.
Statistics
Established	23 December 1999
First awarded	2000
Last awarded	2000
Total awarded	18,015[2]
Order of Wear
Next (higher)	80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal[3]
Next (lower)	Centenary Medal[3]

The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.

Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 medals were awarded.

Description

• The medal is circular and made of nickel-silver with a highly polished finish. The obverse design symbolises Australian sport featuring the stars of the Southern Cross, and lines depicting the athletics track at the Australian Sports Stadium.
• The reverse features the same lines as the obverse symbolising the athletics track, with the words ‘to commemorate Australian sporting achievement’ appearing in the raised rim of the medal. The reverse is also marked with the year ‘2000’.
• The medal is suspended from a 32 mm ribbon by a connector piece and ring. The ribbon’s colours are Australia’s national sporting colours green and yellow.

History

The Prime Minister announced the creation of the Australian Sports Medal on 31 December 1998.

This commemorative medal was introduced to recognise Australian sporting achievements. The medal acknowledged a range of Australians who, in different ways, contributed to the nation’s sporting success. Recipients included former competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintain sporting facilities and services.

The Australian Sports Medal was formally established on 23 December 1999 by Letters Patent.

How it was awarded

The Australian Sports Medal was awarded by the Governor-General.

Most of the medals were presented to people following their nomination by the sports community. Peak sports bodies recognised or funded by the Australian Sports Commission were given quotas according to a formula based on the number of their registered competitors. All Australian parliamentarians could make nominations.

The medals were progressively awarded during the year 2000.

The Australian Sports Medal does not carry a post-nominal entitlement.

Recipients

The Australian Sports Medal has been awarded to various notable sportsmen and women and among them are:

• Gary Ablett, Sr
• Tim Macartney-Snape (2000). For Service To Mountaineering.^[4]
• Willie Carne (2000). For contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league
• Cathy Freeman

See also

• Australian Honours Order of Precedence
• Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal

References

1. "Australian Sports Medal". itsanhonour.gov.au Retrieved 18 June 2011
2. Medal Yearbook 2013. Honiton, Devon: Token. 2013. p. 396. ISBN 978-1-908-828-00-2.
3. "The Order of Wearing of Australian Honours and Awards" (PDF). It's an Honour. Australian Government. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
4. "Search Australian Honours". Australian Government. Retrieved 2008-08-26.

External links

• It's an Honour - Australian Government site