The COC says the award will be given out every Olympic year to one male and female athlete who are seen as role models on and off the field of play.

The first edition of the award will be presented at the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala Induction Ceremony, which will take place at the Saddledome indoor arena in Calgary following the Sochi 2014 Parade of Champions on June 6.

Starkman became ill after covering the Canadian Olympic swimming trials in Montreal in April 2012 and died in St Michael's Hospital in Toronto after being diagnosed with pneumonia.

The 51-year-old had covered 12 Olympic Games working for United Press Canada and the Toronto Star, where he was employed at the time of his death.

He dedicated his career to covering amateur athletics and the Olympic Games and was a two-time National Newspaper Award winner in Canada.

One of those awards came after he exclusively revealed that disgraced Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson had tested positive for steroids for a second time in 1993 after being exposed as a drug cheat following his win in the 100 metres final at Seoul 1988.

Starkman picked up a Canadian National Newspaper Award in 1993 after exposing that Ben Johnson had tested positive for steroids for a second time ©Getty Images



The following year he picked up the National Newspaper Award again for a story exposing the inadequacies of a popular hockey helmet.

After having tests performed on the helmet, he confirmed that it offered little protection against severe head injuries.

Starkman built up relationships with a host of Canadian Olympians during his career.

One of those, double Olympic speed skating champion Catriona Le May Doan, paid tribute to Starkman saying: "I knew Randy for so many years.

"He knew the real person behind the athlete.

"I saw Randy a week before he died.

"To be able to talk to him to have him know that he was telling the real story, that was the most important thing."

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