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The Times takes SJA’s first Sports Newspaper Award

It was a whopping night for Wapping tonight, as The Times was named Sports Newspaper of the Year in the annual SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, while their near-neighbours, the News of the World, scooped the Scoop of the Year prize for the outstanding sports story of the year, the Pakistani spot-fixing scandal.

Judges complimented The Times on its all-round sports coverage, especially the football supplement The Game, but highlighted the exceptional cricket writing of Michael Atherton and Gideon Haigh.

Martin Samuel of the Daily Mail was crowned 2010’s Sports Writer of the Year, while Laurence Griffiths, of Getty Images, was named Sports Photographer of the Year.

The SJA awards, in their 34th year, are organised by the Sports Journalists’ Association of Great Britain and sponsored by UK Sport, and were presented at a gala dinner in the City of London.

The Times is the first winner of the new award, and was selected by a panel of distinguished judges, who placed The Guardian second and Daily Telegraph third.

Samuel was winning this prestigious crown – the John Bromley Trophy – for the fourth time, but for the first time as a Daily Mail scribe. One judge said: “No one in British journalism can forensically dissect an issue as brilliantly. His prodigious output always comes dripping in insight, intelligence and an instinct for justice.”

Griffiths, who lifted the Ed Lacey Trophy, stood out from the rest according to the judges, displaying a consistency across a range of subjects, all of them professionally executed.

Radio Five Live tennis correspondent Jonathan Overend was voted Sports Broadcaster of the Year by SJA members.  The award for Best Radio Sports Programme went to the BBC Test Match Special team, while Sky Sports’ cricket coverage won TV Sports Programme of the Year.

The Sports Scoop of the Year provided a landslide victory for Mazher Mahmood of the News of the World, who broke the story of cricket’s spot-fixing scandal.

Reuters' Eddie Keough provided photographic evidence of what every Englishman knew during the 2010 World Cup, and won the SJA's Sports News Picture award

The prize for Sport News Picture went to Eddie Keogh, of Reuters, whose image proved conclusively that Frank Lampard’s shot for England at the World Cup crossed the German goal line by some distance.

A full list of winners and commended entries can be seen by clicking here

Master cricket photographer Patrick Eagar is honoured by SJA

For a gallery of some of the leading entries and winning images from the SJA British Sports Photography Awards, click here

Thanks: The SJA would like to thank our sponsors, UK Sport, and supporters, Victor Chandler, and to all the judges who volunteered to work on the 2010 British Sports Journalism Awards.

The judging: The Sports Writer of the Year award was decided by a vote by the sports editors of national newspapers. The Sports Photographer of the Year was determined by the judging panel, based on the outstanding work they had viewed for the awards.

All broadcasting awards were voted for by SJA members from shortlists produced by a panel of experts.

In the sports writing categories, each was judged by a panel of up to six judges, drawn from a range of publications, all with extensive media experience. Each judge worked on his portfolio separate for the other judges, and no judge was given a category in which anyone from their own publication was entered.

The judges were instructed only to judge on the work put before them, according to the distinct requirements of the particular category, and not on reputations or any other consideration.

Judging for the journalism awards was carried out by: David Bond Sports Editor, BBC. Trevor Bond Former Sports Editor, Mail on Sunday and Sunday Telegraph. Mihir Bose Former Sports Editor, BBC. Iain Carter BBC Sport correspondent. Tom Clarke Former Sports Editor, The Times, Daily Mail, Sporting Life. Clive Collins Secretary, British Cartoonists’ Association. Gerry Cox Director Hayters Teamwork. Steven Downes Editor, sportsjournalists.co.uk.

Andy Elliot Former Sports Editor, Press Association. Dominic Hart Sports Editor, Daily Mirror. John Jackson Former Olympic and Sports Correspondent. Paul McCarthy Sports Editor, News of the World. Bruce Millington Sports Editor, Racing Post. Roger Mosey BBC Director, London 2012. David Norrie Former sports correspondent News of the World.

Brian Oliver Sports Editor, Observer. Marc Padgett Sports Editor, Independent on Sunday. Paul Radford Sports Editor, Reuters. Keir Radnedge Former Editor, World Soccer. Martin Rowson Chairman, British Cartoonists’ Association. Charles Runcie Head of Sport, BBC Regions.

Jon Ryan Former Sports Editor, Sunday Telegraph, Director of Communications British Horseracing Authority. John Samuel Former Sports Editor, Guardian. Brough Scott Sports Journalist Racing Post, TV and radio presenter. John Stern Editor, Wisden Cricketer. David Walker Sports Editor, Sunday Mirror. Howard Wheatcroft Sports Editor, Daily Star. Scott Wilson Sports Editor, Sunday Express.

Judging for the photographic awards was carried out by: Chairman: David Jacobs, Judges: Steve Rose Director of Photography – Sport, Getty Images. Mike Calvin Sunday Mirror Chief Sportswriter. Matthew Harris, Freelance. Mike King, freelance. Brendan Monks, Sports Picture Editor, Daily Mail.


UPCOMING SJA DATES
Mon Mar 7: 2010 SJA British Sports Journalism Awards
, at The Brewery. Click here to book your tickets

Thu Mar 31: Tour of London’s Olympic Park. Click here for details of how to apply

Tue Apr 5: The SJA Olympic Question Time. Ticket booking to be launched in March.

Wed Apr 13: SJA 2011 Annual Meeting, at offices of UK Sport, Russell Square. Strictly SJA members only.

All details subject to alteration. Keep checking sportsjournalists.co.uk for updates