BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award

Oscar Pistorius, who won the award in 2007

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 the winner is selected by BBC Sport.^[1] 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.^[2][3] 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.^[4]

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.^[5] Former footballer Geoff Thomas won the award in 2005; he raised money by cycling the 2,200 miles of the 2005 Tour de France course in the same number of days as the professionals completed it.^[6] In 2006, the award was given posthumously to Paul Hunter, who died from dozens of malignant neuroendocrine tumours – his widow Lindsay accepted the award on his behalf.^[7]

Winners

By year

Ex-footballer Geoff Thomas, who won the award in 2005

BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award winners

Year	Nat.	Winner	Sport(s)	Rationale	Note
1999	ENG	Pitman, JennyJenny Pitman	Horse racing	for "one of national hunt's greatest trainers" who retired earlier in 1999 after suffering from cancer.[8]	[9]
2000	WAL	Grey-Thompson, TanniTanni Grey-Thompson	Athletics	for winning "gold in the 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m events" at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.[10]	[11]
2001	ENG	MacArthur, EllenEllen MacArthur	Sailing	for her courage in becoming fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe.[12]	[13]
2002	ENG	Tomlinson, JaneJane Tomlinson	—^[n 1]	for completing "the London Marathon, a triathlon and the Great North Run" and raising money for Cancer Research, after being diagnosed with breast cancer.[14]	[15]
2003	ENG	Watson, MichaelMichael Watson	Boxing	for 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".[16]	[17]
2004	ENG	Howard, KirstyKirsty Howard	—^[n 2]	for raising money for poorly children in Francis House hospice through Kirsty's Appeal, despite having an inoperable heart condition.[18]	[19]
2005	ENG	Thomas, GeoffGeoff Thomas	Football	for raising "more than £150,000 for the Leukaemia Research charity" by cycling, following his own battle with the disease.[20]	[21]
2006	ENG	Hunter, PaulPaul Hunter	Snooker	awarded posthumously "in recognition of his bravery and determination to continue playing while trying to beat [cancer]."[22]	[23]
2007	RSA	Pistorius, OscarOscar Pistorius	Athletics	for his fight to be allowed to "race in both the Olympics and the Paralympics" in 2008.[24]	[25]
2008	ENG	Hignell, AlastairAlastair Hignell	Cricket, Rugby union	for fundraising and raising awareness of multiple sclerosis since being diagnosed with the disease in 1999.[26]	[27]
2009	ENG	Major Packer, PhilPhil Packer	—^[n 3]	for fundraising over £1.2 million for the Help for Heroes charity, despite being paraplegic since sustaining injuries in the Iraq War.[28]	[28]
2010	ENG	Williams, FrankFrank Williams	Formula One	for 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.	[29]
2011	ENG	Champion, BobBob Champion	Horse racing	for beating cancer then winning the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti, then raising money for The Bob Champion Cancer Trust.	[30]
2012	ENG	Wright, MartineMartine Wright	Sitting volleyball	for 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.
2013	ENG	Anne Williams	—	awarded posthumously for campaigning for justice for Hillsborough victims.	[31]
2014	14 countries	Invictus Games Competitors	Disability sport	awarded for central contribution to the success of inaugural multi-sport event for injured military personnel
2015	ENG	Bailey Matthews	Triathlon	8 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	[32]

By nationality

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

Winners by nationality

Nationality	Number of wins
England	14
South Africa	1
Wales	1

By sport

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

Winners by sport

Sporting profession	Number of wins^[n 4]
Athletics	3
Horse racing	2
Boxing	1
Disability multi-sport	1
Football	1
Formula One	1
Sailing	1
Snooker	1
Sitting volleyball	1
Cricket	½
Rugby union	½
Triathlon	1
Other	4

Notes

• ^{n 1} Jane Tomlinson was an amateur athlete who competed in marathons, and triathlons – these represent sporting disciplines of athletics, swimming, and cycling.
• ^{n 2} 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.^[33]
• ^{n 3} Major Phil Packer raised money by rowing across the English Channel, completing the London Marathon and climbing.^[28]
• ^{n 4} The fractions refer to Alastair Hignell, who played cricket professionally and rugby union at the top level .

References

General

• "Sports Personality Of The Year: more winners". BBC. December 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2008.

Specific

1. "Sports Personality voting & judging: Terms & conditions". BBC Sport (BBC). 18 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
2. Marks, Kathy (10 August 1999). "BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason dies". The Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 25 January 2009.
3. Shannon, Sarah (4 November 1999). "BBC bravery award to remember Helen". Evening Standard. HighBeam Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
4. "Helen Rollason: Presenter with fighting spirit". BBC News (BBC). 10 August 1999. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
5. Fordyce, Tom (19 April 2003). "Poignant end to Watson's epic journey". BBC Sport (BBC). Retrieved 26 January 2009.
6. "Geoff Thomas Takes on the World of Mountain Biking". British Cycling. Archived from the original on 3 February 2007. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
7. "Hunter loses battle with cancer". BBC Sport (BBC). 9 October 2006. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
8. "Lewis heads sporting honours". BBC News (BBC). 12 December 1999. Archived from the original on 20 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
9. Allison, Rebecca (12 December 2000). "Lack of ramp mars athlete's glory". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
10. "Redgrave voted Britain's best". BBC Sport (BBC). 10 December 2000. Archived from the original on 21 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
11. Eden, Richard (19 June 2001). "BBC gaffe over award for disabled athlete". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
12. "Ellen's tough voyage". BBC Sport (BBC). 7 December 2001. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
13. "Sports Awards: Beckham is personality of 2001". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. 9 December 2001. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
14. "Jane's fighting spirit". BBC Sport (BBC). 8 December 2002. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
15. Seaton, Matt (18 March 2005). "'I have the right to live the way I want'". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
16. "Watson's epic fightback". BBC Sport (BBC). 14 December 2003. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
17. Norton, Charlie (15 December 2003). "Wilkinson and Redgrave scoop top BBC awards". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
18. "Little Kirsty lands BBC honour". BBC Sport (BBC). 12 December 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
19. Rowbottom, Mike (13 December 2004). "Sports Awards: Holmes wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year". The Independent (Independent News & Media). Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
20. "Sports Personality: The winners". BBC Sport (BBC). 11 December 2005. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
21. Philip, Robert (21 December 2005). "Thomas makes most of wheel of fortune". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
22. "Sports Personality: The winners". BBC Sport (BBC). 10 December 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
23. Corrigan, James (11 December 2006). "Phillips is surprise winner of top Sports Personality award". The Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 15 December 2008.
24. "Calzaghe wins Sports Personality". BBC Sport (BBC). 9 December 2007. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
25. Clare, Richard (9 December 2007). "Joe Calzaghe wins BBC Sports Personality". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
26. "BBC award for commentator Hignell". BBC Sport (BBC). 14 December 2008. Archived from the original on 2 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
27. Roughley, Gregg (14 December 2008). "BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2008 - as it happened". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 15 December 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
28. "Major Phil Packer wins Helen Rollason award". BBC Sport (BBC). 13 December 2009. Archived from the original on 18 December 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
29. Ryan, Wood (19 December 2010). "Sir Frank Williams honoured at BBC SPOTY awards". The F1 Times. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
30. Keogh, Frank (2011-12-18). "BBC Sport - Sports Personality: Bob Champion wins BBC's Helen Rollason award". BBC News. Retrieved 2011-12-22.
31. "Anne Williams: BBC award for Hillsborough campaigner". BBC News. 2013-12-15. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
32. "Sports Personality: Bailey Matthews wins the Helen Rollason award". BBC News. 2015-12-20. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
33. Lindsay, Clive (24 July 2002). "Brave Kirsty given baton honour". BBC Sport (BBC). Retrieved 25 January 2009.