BBC Green Sport Awards: 2023 winners revealed
Last updated on .From the section Sport
Australia cricket captain Pat Cummins and British athlete Innes FitzGerald are among the winners of this year's BBC Green Sport awards.
Now in their second year, the awards celebrate the athletes, former athletes and organisations working hard to enact and inspire change.
The ceremony will take place on Monday, 2 October at the BBC Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House, London - and you can follow it live on the BBC Sport website and app.
Here are the 2023 winners:
Athlete of the Year
Winner: Pat Cummins
Why did he win?
Australia's men's Test and one-day international captain, Cummins has taken an active leadership role on climate change. A nominee in last year's inaugural awards, the 30-year-old's work includes public advocacy, but also mobilising networks and resources for significant outcomes through his Cricket for Climate Foundation. Through the foundation, Cummins has helped a number of projects in the past 12 months that have had a positive impact from organisational level down to clubs.
What did he say?
"I'm hugely honoured to accept the BBC's Green Sport award for Athlete of the Year. I'm really proud of what we've been able to achieve here in Australia and hopefully we have more to come. I feel like there is hope, because there are a lot of solutions to move away from fossil fuels, or moving towards more renewable sources. To be able to show that we've made a small difference, we've made some good actions. That makes me really proud."
What did the nominations committee say?
"Pat's leadership on climate has been hugely instrumental in cricket and across Australian society. The authenticity and integrity he brings to his climate work has a profound resonance in Australia."
Young Athlete of the Year
Winner: Innes FitzGerald
Why did she win?
The English Schools cross-country champion, FitzGerald made the bold choice to decline the chance to compete in this year's World Championships in Australia. In a letter to British Athletics, the 17-year-old said her decision was based on her concern about the impact of flying at a time when people around the world are suffering the effects of climate change. She uses her platform to encourage other athletes to question their choices, use their platforms to raise awareness, and actively engage in conversations about climate issues.
What did she say?
"It's a real privilege to be receiving this award. I never set out to achieve awards from this. I just wanted to raise awareness about climate-related issues within the athletics and sporting world and try to get up-and-coming athletes to think about what they're doing and their impacts on the climate. It's really empowering when you get messages from other people saying 'I'm really grateful for what you've done' or 'I'm now changing this in my life'. It gives me confidence that what I'm doing is making a difference."
What did the nominations committee say?
"Innes consistently puts her principles at the heart of every decision in her young running career, with her climate awareness being fundamental. She puts herself at considerable risk in terms of criticism and knows sport is important, but so too is a sustainable future for sport and society. For someone who is only 17, it is astounding. She is an example to all athletes everywhere."
Evergreen Athlete Award
Winner: Chris Dickerson
Why did he win?
Former Major League Baseball player Dickerson is recognised for taking the initiative to try to make positive change before many had even realised the power sport could have. In 2008, Dickerson and fellow baseball player Jack Cassel formed the Players for the Planet foundation, which has brought together professional athletes to help build awareness of the environmental crisis. Dickerson, 41, has been involved in numerous environmental projects, regularly speaks at sustainability conferences, and posts content on his social channels to promote the work he and the foundation are doing.
What did he say?
"I'm honoured to get this award. It's great having these meaningful chats to move progress forward and I truly appreciate it. I always joke and say climate change could be solved if both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo came out and said: 'Hey, let's solve the environment.' You would see a massive change, but that's the power of sport."
What did the nominations committee say?
"Chris' fight for the cause has been present for many years, ever since he started noticing the amount of waste his team was going through in the clubhouse. He has spent much of his post-baseball life dedicating himself to the cause."
Elite Organisation of the Year
Winner: Forest Green Rovers Football Club
Why did they win?
Since Dale Vince bought a majority stake in the club in 2010, Forest Green Rovers have been on a mission to not only climb the football ladder, but do so as one of the most sustainable clubs in the world. In 2017, football's world governing body Fifa described the League Two side as the "greenest football club in the world", and in 2018 they became the United Nations' first certified carbon-neutral football club. They continue to push to become even more sustainable, and in the past year have focused on switching to greener travel options for the team and fans, while continuing to work on the Eco Park development that will house their new stadium.
What did they say?
Dale Vince: "It's a good feeling and it's a good example of something that helps to propel us. There's recognition around the award and it helps to carry our message around the world. It's all part of our progress. In every sphere of life, we have to change and we have to green up, so sport isn't immune from that. But, at the same time, sport has a unique place in our lives and an opportunity - it is influential."
What did the nominations committee say?
"Forest Green Rovers lead the way in sustainably running a sports team and show that an entire organisation can be environmentally sustainable if you design it right. With a new stadium on the horizon, Forest Green Rovers will continue to be at the forefront of sustainability in sport."
Grassroots Organisation of the Year
Winner: Rhino Cup Champions League
Why did they win?
The Rhino Cup Champions League, which was founded in Mozambique in 2016, is an amateur football league for young men and women in rural African communities surrounding national parks and wildlife reserves. The organisation has used the popularity of football to help local communities feel better connected to wildlife conservation and learn about the impacts of climate change. The league harnesses three key emotions - pride, gratitude, and compassion - which can then inspire and empower participants to actively engage in the cause. The RCCL wants to bring in a new era of conservation practices rooted in sustainable development.
What did they say?
RCCL co-founder Matt Bracken: "The Rhino Cup Champions League came from asking: 'How can we help stop young men from going into the wildlife reserve and risking their lives and the lives of animals to kill that animal for profit?' It is a football league brought to you by your local rhinoceros - and that is bringing so much. It's bringing compassion, happiness, hope and love. It was the communities' idea and that's why it's a success."
What did the nominations committee say?
"The Rhino Cup Champions League is a very different approach at raising sustainability awareness, but it is a very successful one. It has already grown as a competition to neighbouring countries and will only raise more climate awareness the more it grows."
