Richard Whitehead MBE, teenage tennis player Matthew Knoesen and England’s women’s blind footballers were among those recognised at a London ceremony celebrating sporting achievement and the people making participation possible.
Thomas Young was at London’s Soho Place to present an award. What the Paralympic sprint champion did not know was that he would be collecting one himself.
His surprise Sports Icon Award provided the unexpected moment at the Variety Disability Sports Awards 2026, held in the West End on Monday 12 October. Yet the wider winners’ list tells a story extending well beyond familiar names: a school, a university, a blind football team and individuals whose work has helped others participate in sport.
Hosted by doctor, broadcaster and disability advocate Dr Oscar Duke, the ceremony brought together elite performance and the less visible work behind sporting opportunity. Nominees ranged in age from just 13 upwards. It was a reminder that the pathways into sport matter as much as the results at the far end of them.
Paralympic pedigree and a new generation
Richard Whitehead MBE received the @sohoplace Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement. A Paralympic champion and longstanding advocate for disability inclusion, Whitehead was among the ceremony’s most established sporting names.
Teenage tennis player Matthew Knoesen was also recognised in the Outstanding Individual Achievement category for his achievements on court. Meanwhile, Melanie Woods received the Fiona Anderson Award for Rising Star, acknowledging achievements in para-athletics.
Putting those names on the same awards programme illustrates the range of careers being celebrated, from promising young competitors to athletes with international recognition. The common thread was sporting achievement, even if the journeys to that point have been very different.
A team award for England’s blind footballers
The England Women’s Blind Football Team received the Glaukos Award for Outstanding Team Achievement, recognising its sporting achievements and contribution to the visibility of blind football.
That recognition matters beyond an individual result. A team award gives prominence to a sport and the players representing it, especially when the ceremony’s wider message concerns access and participation.
The institutions making room for sport
Some of the evening’s significant honours went to organisations rather than competitors. Loughborough University won the WeFix Award for Accessible Sport for All, while St Christopher’s School received the Variety International Award for Active and Inclusive School.
These awards put educational institutions in the same conversation as Paralympic champions. It is a useful distinction: an athlete’s success is visible, but the opportunities to take part have to exist first.
Innovation was recognised through the Mountpark Award, which went to Picture News, represented by Katie Harrison, and Boccia England. Their inclusion broadened the awards beyond traditional sporting results to recognise innovation in disability sport.
Inspiration, unsung work and a Silver Heart
Sailor Craig Wood received the Dreams Award for Inspiration for his achievements in sailing. The Nimbus Disability Award for Unsung Hero was shared by Peter Wyman and Rick Rodgers, acknowledging contributions that may attract less attention than high-profile sporting performances.
Variety also presented Tushar Prabhu with its Silver Heart Award 2026 for Outstanding Contribution to Variety, Children and Young People, recognising his contribution to the charity and those it supports.
The charity provides wheelchair and special equipment grants, Sunshine Coaches, Great Days Out and an Access Interns supported work experience programme. Its practical support focuses on disabled and disadvantaged children and young people, including those in low-income households experiencing financial hardship.
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Young’s surprise award will be one of the evening’s memorable details. The combined winners’ list, though, makes another point. Sporting excellence deserves applause; the people and organisations creating opportunities to compete deserve attention too.
