Despite a decline in COVID-19 cases, we once again held the Mustafa V. Koç Sports Award ceremony online for safety reasons. This year's event featured brand-new content and multiple award-winning athletes.
When we decided to organize the fifth edition of the Mustafa V. Koç Sports Award online—just as we had the previous year—we felt it was best to maintain the proven format. We reused the technical structure we had established, enriching it with fresh content.
The most significant change this year was that, for the first time, the award was shared by more than one athlete. Mete Gazoz, who won Turkey’s first Olympic gold medal in archery, and the Women’s National Volleyball Team, who captured the nation’s hearts with their continued success, were honored as co-recipients. As a result, we prepared a dedicated film for each of them.
Unlike last year, we chose to film the entire ceremony on a single stage to enhance the aesthetic integrity of the event. We set up at the TVF Burhan Felek Volleyball Hall, where we filmed the presenter, speakers, and award presentations. The black and gold color palette we used to design the venue helped us bring the award’s visual identity to life on screen, just as it exists in person.
This year’s ceremony was also innovative in terms of content. Before the event began, the standby screen featured interesting facts about the award. We spotlighted the five athletes who had previously received it and created a warm, engaging video of their conversation. This year’s honored speaker, Sergey Bubka—Member of the International Olympic Committee and President of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee—joined us with a video message. For the first time, jury members also took the stage to share their insights on Turkish sports. As always, the carefully prepared scripts for our host, Nebil Evren, helped tie all the elements together seamlessly.
The awards were presented by Jury President Caroline N. Koç, and the heartfelt thank-you speeches from the athletes reminded everyone watching of the power of sport and the enduring value of Olympic ideals.
As the Mustafa V. Koç Sports Award marked its fifth year, we delivered an online event lasting more than 45 minutes. It was a meaningful opportunity to once again honor the memory of Mustafa Koç in a way truly worthy of his legacy.
