Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month

1. THE CONCEPT

The Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month is an award created jointly by Atlas Insurance and the Malta Sports Journalists Association (Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports).

The Award is awarded to the Top Youth Female or Male athlete that distinguishes herself / himself during the month in review.

The Malta Sports Journalists Association is responsible for all final decisions with respect to matters concerning the Award.

2. THE RULES / GENERAL CRITERIA / ELIGIBILITY

Athletes must be aged 21 years or less during the month in review.
Athletes who would have distinguished themselves in any individual sport or team sport will be considered for the Award.
Athletes who win medals / register national records / register tangible above average results in international competitions will be given priority during the evaluation process.
Evaluation of international events should be given to results obtained in the below priority:
Olympic Games (Summer/Winter/Youth)
World Championships
European Championships
Commonwealth Games / Youth Games
Mediterranean Games
Games of the Small States of Europe
Other international events approved by the Maltese Olympic Committee
National Championships
Athletes who exhibit some or all of the below positive qualities will be also given priority during the evaluation process:
Leadership skills
Team Work
Ambassadorship (good representative of the Sport)
Fair play / Sportsmanship
Respect for coaches
There will be two awards to be awarded per month. One for local achievements and the other one for the international achievements.
The same athlete may only win each award once per year. I.e. they can win both the local award and the international award, but cannot win the international award multiple times in the same year. This can give a chance for other athletes and sports to shine.
Although there will not be a monthly official call for nominations, Sports Associations / Federations and Public can send in a notification to the Malta Sports Journalists Association clearly stating their request for their athletes to be considered for the ‘Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month’. Notifications need to be sent by email to info@maltasportsjournalists.com.

3. THE JUDGING PANEL

Eligible shortlisted athletes will be judged by a panel of ‘experts’ namely 3 Maltese Sports Journalists under the supervision of The Malta Sports Journalists Association whose decisions will be final with respect to all matters concerning the Award. The initial shortlist of athletes will be selected solely on the basis of results achieved during the month in review. Each member of the panel has to submit 3 athletes as his/her 1st, 2nd and 3rd preference. If a member of the panel gives less than 3 preferred athletes. his/her vote will be void.

In the event of a tie, merits of top tied contenders athletes will be reconsidered using the below criteria:
Winner is identified and selected based upon a seventy percent (70%) weighting on results obtained in the month in review along with a thirty percent (30%) weighting of academic achievement / character / extra curricular as listed in 2e.

If, in the judges’ opinion, there is any suspected disciplinary action / investigation undergoing against an athlete or actual evidence of tampering / soliciting with any portion of the contest such as false results handed in or any technical difficulties that can compromise the integrity of the contest, the judging panel reserves the right to disqualify the athlete and give the award to the runner up in the month in review.

4. THE MONTHLY AWARDS

Atlas Insurance and the Malta Sports Journalists Association will award twenty-four (24) athletes from January to December. The two (2) athletes for each month will be awarded for their national and international achievements, respectively.

Each winner will receive a commemorative engraved trophy and a Sports Apparel voucher courtesy of Atlas Insurance.

In January Atlas Insurance will announce the overall winner of the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Year’ which will be selected among one of the 24 monthly winners of the previous year.

5. OTHER INFORMATION

Atlas Insurance is the sole Sponsor of this Award.
Atlas Insurance and the Malta Sports Journalists Association are the owners of all rights of this Award.
Atlas Insurance and the the Malta Sports Journalists Association are also owners of the concept of this Award and shall be responsible for the organisation, the presentation, selection process, logos and all printed material.
Atlas Insurance and the the Malta Sports Journalists Association reserve the right to:
(a) Use winner’s name and publish all possible nominations submitted, (b) alter, amend, edit or change entries prior to publication and (c) use, publish, reproduce, alter, amend and copyright for purposes of advertising, promotion and trade related exclusively to the monthly and yearly Award, not in the form of a product endorsement, without agreed compensation or permission from the winner/s.

By accepting an award, winners agree to be photographed for PR reasons and interviewed by sports journalists and that such photography / videography will be used on but not limited to social media.

Awards are not transferable or redeemable for cash.