Who decides the Sports Personality of the Year shortlist?
Six athletes have been shortlisted for the 2024 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award
- Published
The BBC's Sports Personality of the Year recognises outstanding sporting performances across another unforgettable 12 months.
Eight awards are handed out - including the main prize, for which there are six contenders: footballer Jude Bellingham, runner Keely Hodgkinson, darts player Luke Littler, cricketer Joe Root, Para-cyclist Sarah Storey and triathlete Alex Yee.
Who decides the SPOTY shortlist?
A panel of 12 sport industry experts is invited by the Director of BBC Sport - Alex Kay-Jelski - following discussions with his senior team.
The panel aims to represent a wide range of stakeholders from the world of sport, including former sportspeople, sports journalists from UK publications, and sports industry representatives.
BBC Sport aims for an even split of men and women, with expertise covering a wide range of sports, including Para-sport.
Where possible, there are panel members from each UK nation: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Panel members change every year.
There are always three representatives from BBC Sport. This year, they were Kay-Jelski, Head of Sport Content Philip Bernie and Executive Producer Gabby Cook.
How is the SPOTY award shortlist drawn up?
The panel meets in person to decide the shortlist for the main prize and the World Sport Star award, and also to decide the winner of Team and Coach of the Year.
The BBC Sports Personality production team provides extensive background information to the panellists on the top sportspeople of the year and their achievements.
Panellists are free to put forward any other potential candidates not covered in the briefing.
The shortlist is decided through discussion led by Kay-Jelski as the panel chairperson.
In the event of a consensus not being reached on certain candidates, the panel may be asked to vote. In the event of a tie, the chairperson makes the final decision.
Are the decisions based on any criteria?
Yes.
By way of an example, the panellists select the shortlist for the main award using the following criteria:
Reflected UK sporting achievements on the national and/or international stage;
Represented the breadth and depth of UK sports; and
Took into account 'impact' of the person's sporting achievement beyond the sport in question.
Panellists are provided with - and reminded of - these criteria before and during the shortlisting process.
The shortlist for the main award aims to reflect the breadth and depth of sport in the UK.
Has the process always been the same?
The shortlisting process for Sports Personality underwent significant change after 2011.
That year, there was controversy when an all-male shortlist was announced, drawing criticism from some sportspeople.
Sports editors from newspapers and magazines across the UK had been previously asked to put forward their top 10 selections to the BBC. These were made available publicly.
After 2011, there was consensus that the BBC should have more control in the shortlisting process. In 2012, the BBC introduced an expert industry panel.