Preamble

One of the mandates of the AUSC Region 5 is to encourage, coordinate and promote the development of all sport in the Region. The AUSC Region 5, Regional Annual Sport Award (RASA) is part of the Regional Rewards Programme aimed at providing a unique opportunity for the Region to motivate Member States, Sports Confederations, team’s sports and individual athletes by recognizing and celebrating meritorious service and outstanding achievements in sport.

The objectives of RASA is to recognize, reward and celebrate the Region’s sportspersons for iconic and meritorious service in sports. The Awards is a culmination of all the Member Countries awards as all member countries are promote and celebrate sports by hosting their domestic national awards which means the RASA is selection of the best from the best. Winners of the Member countries automatically become the nominee on the eleven categories of RASA

RASA’s strategic pillars

Excellence- Athletes, coaches, member countries, media and teams that have produced outstanding performances in sport at Regional and international level Glamour- Night of Olympic and Africa Day Celebration Credibility-
  1. Winners of country Awards
  2. Nomination signed by Sport Minister
  3. Auditable information
  4. Three (3) levels of adjudication
Unique value and identity- Trophy - Drum and Horn. Awarded annually. Awards given for performances achieved in the previous calendar year. When? - Awards will be held annually in the months of MAY on Africa Day, 25th Why celebrate Africa Day? - Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). It is a day when Africa celebrates its identity and proud heritage. On this day, leaders of 30 of the then 32 independent African States signed a founding charter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  • In 1991, the OAU established the African Economic Community, and in 2002 the OAU established its own successor, the African Union.
  • However, the name and date of Africa Day has been retained as a celebration of African unity. Celebrations are held in African countries, as well as by Africans in the diaspora.
  • It is befitting to host the AUSC Region 5 Annual Sports Awards on Africa Day in order to celebrate our Africanness and unique culture of sport and recreation.
  • The inaugural event will be hosted by South Africa in June 2016 at a venue to be confirmed.

Awards Categories

Junior Female and Man Sportsperson Of The Year

  • The award is bestowed on athletes under the age of 20 who have participated in age based competitions and;
  • Won in the category in the National Sports Awards
  • Produced performances of the exceptional standards at Regional and international level
  • Demonstrated the potential of being a world class/record holder.
  • Displayed good code of conduct on and off the field of play
  • Conformed and complied with all applicable ethical codes
  • Never failed a Doping test or violated Anti-Doping rules

Sportsman and Woman of the Year

  • Won in the category in the National Sports Awards
  • Produced a world class performance at the national, regional and continental and global arena
  • Set performance benchmarks
  • Displayed good code of conduct on and off the field of play
  • Conformed and complied with all applicable ethical codes
  • Never failed a Doping test or violated Anti-Doping rules

Sports Woman and Sportsman Of The Year With A Disability

  • Won in the category in the National Sports Awards
  • A national of the nominating country
  • Produced a world-class performance at the national, regional continental and global arena;
  • continuously set world records;
  • Displayed good code of conduct on and off the field of play
  • Conformed and complied with all applicable ethical codes
  • Never failed a Doping test or violated Anti-Doping rules

Sports Confederation Of The Year***

  • Won in the category in the National Sports Awards
  • Recognized by the AUSC Region 5 as a Regional Confederation and currently in good standing
  • Compliance with own constitution and codes of conduct (holding of meetings, AGMs or EOMs, dispute resolutions, decentralization i.e. district, province and national.
  • Holds regular regional competitions

Sports Team of the Year

  • Won in the category in the National Sports Awards
  • A local or national sports team officially recognized as a team sport in terms of the International Federation’s regulations (irrespective of gender or disability) of the Year may be nominated and considered for an award who has during the Awards qualifying period
  • produced extraordinary consistency in their performance as a sports team at Regional and international level
  • Conquered against all odds.
  • Demonstrated essential values of teamwork and Excellence.
  • Displayed good code of conduct on and off the field of play
  • Conformed and complied with all applicable ethical codes
  • Never failed a Doping test or violated Anti-Doping rules

Coach Of The Year

  • Won in the category in National Sports Awards
  • Plied his/her trade in the Region either with a team or an individual athlete
  • Produced world-class results internationally or set the benchmark regarding results regionally
  • Demonstrated that the team or individual/s coached by him or her are disciplined and practice fair play.
  • Has good moral and role model conduct on and off the field of play.

Hosting Allocation

Hosting of the Awards will be on a compulsory rotational alphabetic order basis.
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
South Africa South Africa South Africa Namibia Angola Botswana Lesotho Malawi Mozambique Namibia South Africa

Nomination, Adjudication process and Timelines

Stage One: Submission of Nominees by Member Countries

Nominations for the awards shall be called rom all Member Countries that hosts domestic sport awards. The winners in the various categories shall automatically qualify to be the nominees in the regional sport awards. Nominations for the regional sport awards shall submitted to AUSC Region 5 Head Offices by the Member Countries on or before, 10th April 2017 by end of business day at 17h00.

Stage two: Adjudication process by AUSC Region 5 internal structures

The second stage of nomination selection criteria will be conducted by AUSC Region 5 Technical Commissions, Confederation Presidents and AUSC Region Secretary Generals. The final output of the process will be the top 3 nominees for each award and must be completed by 20th April 2017.

Stage Three: Adjudication by Media Panel

Conducted by Media to select winner and two runners-up and must be completed by 24th April 2017

Adjudication Panels and Stages:

The Adjudication process shall be in three (3) stages;  
STAGE ADJUDICATION PANEL
Stage I Calling for Nominations Auditors and AUSC Region 5 Office
Stage II AUSC Region 5 Technical Commissions, Confederation Presidents and Secretary Generals
Stage III Media (minimum 4 from print and 4 from electronic from each member country. Selection based on readership, listenership and viewership data)
 
  1. Adjudicators are selected from Sport personalities who range from Sport Administrators, Sport Journalists, Sport Commentators, Sport Legends, Sport Writers and Academics from Sport and Science of Sport background.
  2. The voting principle is that each panel has a single voting right and with the majority prevailing. In the event of a tie the chair of the panel will have the casting vote.
  3. The chair of the panel shall be nominated from amongst the panelist present.

Adjudication Process

Verification and Audit

  • Receipt of Nomination Forms
  • Vetting of criteria by auditors
  • Verification against criteria as set in the rule book

Selection of Top 3 Finalists

  • Creation of voting e-mails and passwords
  • Test run voting process
  • Voting via special e-mail address
  • Ranking of journalist by auditors

Selection of Winners and Runners-up

  • Selection of electoral college
  • Two journalists each from leading National print and electronic media per country
  • No online media house
  • Voting only via e-mail
  • Ranking of panelists and verification by auditors.
  • An Audit Firm will be appointed to independently verify this process and authenticate the final results.

Awards Disputes and Ties

A decision taken to:
  • Facilitate any action or process required
  • Nominate candidates to be considered for any awards; and shortlist the said candidates; and
  • Make an award
In terms of this rulebook relatives to:
  • The parties; and
  • The regional sport award event
  • Any nominated athletes, body, organisation or Member Country and
  • Winners decided upon to receive such award
Shall be final and binding subject to:
  • Any aggrieved party exhausting the dispute resolution procedures as contemplated or contained in the rulebook provisions
  • A final resolution pertaining to the dispute has been made by the arbitrators in writing as contemplated or contained in the Rulebook.

Dispute Resolution

The AUSC Region 5 Secretariat and the shall appoint a Adjudication Committee who’s responsibility will be administration of the appeals and any disputes that may emanate from the nomination or initial adjudication process by the AUSC Region 5 internal organs and Media Panel selected.

Arbitration:

  • The AUSC Region 5 Secretariat shall be the arbitration organ for all matters relating to the Regional Awards Programme.

Disqualification of nominees and winners and revoking of nomination and Awards of the identified winners.

Subject to the provisions of the Rulebook nominations criteria of the AUSC Region 5 Regional Awards Programme as contemplated may be: Disqualified by Awards Voting Panel as a nomination of a particular category of award; or Compelled by the Award Voting to withdraw his, her its nomination of the athletes , team or confederation, if the nominee has
  • been found guilty of criminal offense
  • acted in contravention to any of their country’s laws and sport regulations
  • contravened an Code of Conduct relatives to his, her or its sport.