Legendary Scotland second row Doddie Weir has been awarded the Helen Rollason award at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year.
Weir was diagnosed with motor-neurone disease in 2016 and started the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation the following year to aid research into the disease and to help those who live with it.
Since then the foundation has spent £4m on research and helping those with the disease providing things like stairlifts, wheelchairs and holidays.
The award recognises achievement in adversity and is named after the former BBC journalist of the same name who died of cancer in 1999.
And Weir, who was inspired by South African great Joost van der Westhuizen who passed away from MND in 2017, was honoured to have been recognised.
“I am honoured and humbled to receive the Helen Rollason award at this year’s Sports Personality of the Year, especially when I look back at the remarkable individuals who have been recognised over the years,” he said.
“My family and I are very much looking forward to attending the awards evening and celebrating another fantastic sporting year with friends and many of our sporting heroes.”
Weir won 61 caps for his country playing in eight consecutive Five Nations Championships before playing his final match in the 2000 Championship.
He was part of the Scotland team that won the last-ever Five Nations, featuring in the win over Wales at Murrayfield.
Weir is the second rugby player to win the award after former England full-back Alastair Hignell, who was recognised in 2008 for his work in helping spread awareness of multiple sclerosis.
