Just a month after the 2010 Commonwealth Games takes place in Delhi, the cream of Commonwealth sporting talent will be honoured in Birmingham with recognition for journalists being a new edition to the programme.

Sports journalists’ eligible to win the award must be from one of the seven areas of the Commonwealth made up of Africa, Americas, Asia, Central, Europe and Oceania.

Al Hamilton, the founder of the Awards, said that he is delighted that a new category to honour journalists has been officially introduced and revealed that such a move has been in the pipeline for sometime.

Hamilton told insidethegames: "It is fantastic that we now have an award to honour the journalists who work hard to provide coverage of our Commonwealth athletes and make them the stars that they are.

"We owe a big debt to them and this award to show an appreciation of their phenomenal efforts has been a long time coming."

The news is another boost to Birmingham, who will not only be hosting the Commonwealth Sports Awards for the first time ever this November, but are also set to stage 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards a month later.

Launched in 1980 by Hamilton, the prestigious award ceremony rewards the achievements of the greatest sportsmen and women from across the Commonwealth.

Previous winners include Olympic gold medallist heptathlete Denise Lewis, cricketing legend Brian Lara, footballer stars Dwight Yorke and Michael Owen, boxing icons Lennox Lewis and Joe Calzaghe, triple Olympic champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and three-time London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe.

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