By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – The submission of nominees for the National Sports Awards will closes on February 28, 2025.
The Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC) will hosts the awards next month on a date yet to be announced. There are 10 categories to be awarded with the main ones being outstanding sportsman, junior sportsman, sportswomen, junior sportswoman, senior sports woman, coach, sports man and woman living with disability and sports team among others.
The ESRC recognised National Sports Associations are urged to submit their respective nominees on or before Friday, February28, 2025 via email at zama@sportscouncil.org.sz and or ntiwane@sportscouncil.org.sz.
According to ESRC Media Officer Dumisani Ntiwane, the awardees are those whose achievements were attained between January 1st, 2024 and December 31st, 2024. Ntiwane noted that nominations will be strictly restricted to podium finishes/achievers at sport specific and or multi-sport national, regional, continental and or world/global championships
“This is the ultimate national reward programme of the Eswatini Sports Movement. It is obviously for the recognition of deserving sports practitioners for their outstanding performance in sports and for their meritorious service to sports. Its main aim is to recognise honour and reward excellence in sports. Worth noting is that this programme rewards every sports practitioner from administrators, technical officials, coaches and journalists. It does not discriminate,” reads a statement from ESRC.
Winners of the awards are conferred with the turquoise coloured jacket that is embedded with the national sports emblem. The national sports emblem is a symbol of sports excellence and is bestowed upon deserving sports practitioners for their outstanding participation in sports and for their meritorious service to sport. The national sports emblem is dominated by the purple crested turaco (Ligwalagwala), which is the national bird of Eswatini, whose beautiful feathers are used by the royalty. It symbolises pride and royal recognition.
The ESRC is the sports mother body in the country under the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs.
“We at the ESRC envision a well regulated and coordinated sports industry that promotes a healthy, passionate, proud and winning nation in sport and recreation,” added Ntiwane.
The confirmed categories so far;
- Outstanding Junior Sportsman
- Outstanding Junior Sportswoman
- Outstanding Senior Sportsman
- Outstanding Senior Sportswoman
- Outstanding Sportsman with a Disability
- Outstanding Sportswoman with a Disability
- Outstanding Sports Coach
- Outstanding Sports Team
- Outstanding Sports Association
- Outstanding Sports Leader
