2022 Sports Awards Ceremony to Move Online

An online ceremony is set to recognise and celebrate sporting excellence in 2022 — after organisers decided to postpone the Orkney Sports Awards.

A live ceremony was due to be held at KGS on Friday, January 21, to dish out the awards, but due to the current COVID climate, organisers have taken the “immensely difficult” decision to call a halt to the event.

Now efforts are focused on bringing together an online offering to ensure that Orkney’s deserving athletes, teams, volunteers, and others are recognised for their immense contribution during a year in which sport returned following the lockdowns of 2020.

Catherine Johnson, a co-ordinator with Active Schools, who organise the event, said: “The emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the rise in case numbers in Orkney, the guidance on households mixing and event numbers has made the hosting of the event impossible.

“This decision has not been an easy one to reach, indeed it has been immensely difficult. But, after consultation, it is abundantly clear that a live in-person event, which we were all looking forward to, is simply not possible.

“This is a tremendous shame, not only to us as organisers but the sponsors who are key in the awards taking place, and to those in the running for awards and the wider public who come out to support the event.

“Despite this, the awards will still take place but will be run as an online offering. This will incorporate the awards as well as inductees into the Orkney Sports Hall of Fame. This online ceremony, while not the live in-person event we had hoped for, worked well last time for the Hall of Fame, so we are confident that the 2021 Orkney Sports Awards will be a success.”

The sudden move to online means that the organisers are working to finalise a firm date that the event will be streamed. This will be announced in due course.

Following the nomination period, held earlier this year, a panel of judges has whittled the nominations down to a shortlist. Another panel of judges still have the tricky task of deciding on who the winners are.

Ms Johnson added: “We want to thank all our partners and sponsors who ensure that the Orkney Sports Awards remain an integral part of our sporting scene.

“This is not the news we had hoped to deliver; but with the backing and support of the public, we are confident that the special sporting achievements made over the last 12 months and during such a difficult time can be recognised and celebrated.”