South Pacific (SP) Brewery Limited once again hosted another successful SP Sports Awards, its 31st one since it started in 1992, to recognize the achievements of Papua New Guinea’s sports athletes, sports teams and sporting officials and delegates.
This significant event, which was hosted at the Crowne Hotel in Port Moresby, recognizes elite talents and sporting achievements throughout the country for the year 2022.
It has been three years since hosting the awards night as a public event due to Covid19 restrictions. For the past three years, the SP Sports Awards was hosted virtually.
The night portrayed a total of thirteen categories including:
1. Sports Photo of the Year,
2. Sports Official of the Year,
3. Trukai Industries Sports Media Award,
4. Community Sports Initiative Award,
5. CPL Best Sports Person with a Disability,
6. Westpac Junior Male Athlete of the Year,
7. Westpac Junior Female Athlete of the Year,
8. People’s Choice Award,
9. Brands Pacific National Performance of the Year,
10. Stan Joyce Award,
11. Carbaine Club Team of the Year,
12. Female Athlete of the Year, and
13. Male Athlete of the year.
Speaking on the night was Managing Director of SP Brewery, Ed Weggemans, who expressed that SP Brewery has always been a proud sponsor of the Sports Awards for thirty-one years. Weggemans highlighted that the theme of the night was “Make a Difference, Stop the Violence,” which pretty much talks about addressing violence as a whole.
“We share a common enemy that stance to undermine our vision and that is violence. Violence has crossed the spectrum of just being a law and order issue to being deeply recognized as a development issue in Papua New Guinea.”
“Family sexual violence, SARV, domestic violence, public violence all have severe consequences to a country that is aspiring to promote itself as an investment destination to the regional and global community.”
Weggemans further commended the sports awards organizing committee for showing tremendous courage by using the iconic SP Sports Awards platform to advocate powerful message of making a difference to stop the violence. He further reiterated that violence has no place in sports and in Papua New Guinea as a whole.
He further concluded by thanking and congratulating all 36 finalists who were nominated for the Sports Awards.
Speaking also during the awards night was Guest Speaker, Mark “Spudd” Carroll, who is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer that played as a prop in the 1980s and 1990s. In his address, Carroll outlined three key words to the aspiring young athletes, which were Enjoyment, Smile and Respect. This he stressed as something that must be practiced and adapted when out in the sporting fields and to not inflict any form of violence, but respect for others.
“We need to promote a culture of respect, awareness program, campaigns over media and just spreading the word. This we must work together towards the future where violence and sports are distant memories, and where our sporting arenas become symbols of unity, inspiration and pride of Papua New Guinea.”
“Violence is never the answer to any problem or conflict, it only breeds more violence and cause harm to individuals and the community as a whole. So, let us all strive to create a safe and positive environment, both on and off the field.”
Meanwhile, SP Brewery thanked all its Sponsors for the making the event a success and memorable one including, Trukai Industries Limited, Carbine Club of Papua New Guinea, Brands Pacific, Air Niugini, Theodist Limited, Colourboys PNG, Next of Kin Productions, City Pharmacy Group of Companies, Westpac Banking Corporation, Deloitte PNG and the home of the Sports Award, Crowne Hotel.