National Sports Honours slated for next February

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Minister of Sports, Daryll Matthew.
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The Ministry of Education, Sports and the Creative Industries intends to demonstrate its commitment to Sports in Antigua and Barbuda by hosting a National Sports Honours on February 13, 2021.

The ministry is therefore requesting that each National Federation/Association should submit one male and one female nominee, including, but not limited to, coaches, administrators, officials and athletes, a release said.

The nomination period officially opens today, December 1, and closes on Thursday December 31, 2020.

“This year, the challenging effects of COVID-19 has immensely affected sporting activities in Antigua and Barbuda, and as a result, competitive sports was put on hold. Nonetheless, the Department of Sports has seen the need to highlight and showcase sporting stakeholders for their outstanding achievements in sports in Antigua and Barbuda,” the release said.

“As such, in lieu of the 2020 National Sports Awards, the ministry will host a ‘National Sports Honours’ Awards Ceremony, on Saturday 13th February 2021. This ceremony will take an unconventional format, wherein, rather than the focus being on sporting contributions from athletes, coaches, officials and administrators, during the year 2020, this non-traditional awards ceremony will seek to acknowledge individuals who have contributed sterling service to sports in their respective sporting disciplines, over the years.”

The Minister for Education, Sports and the Creative Industries, Daryll S Matthew said that Antiguans and Barbudans are resilient, and the sports fraternity, one of the largest groups of stakeholders to be affected by the ongoing COVID-19, has exhibited patience, and have demonstrated their ability to overcome these challenges, one day at a time.

“As such, although we are not in a position to acknowledge individuals for their 2020 contributions to sports in Antigua and Barbuda, this decision comes at a truly opportune time where we can highlight some of our nation’s best in sports, who may have never been recognized on a National level. During this COVID period, the bestowment of a National Sports Honour will lift the spirits of our past athletes, officials, coaches, and administrators,” Matthew said in the release.

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