TORONTO, Ont. – Arash Madani, a reporter for Rogers Sportsnet, was honoured this week for outstanding broadcasting.
The Truro native was the recipient of the prestigious George Gross Award.
He received the award on Wednesday during the Sports Media Canada achievement luncheon at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
“It’s so humbling, it’s an honour you just never even expect,” Madani said during his acceptance speech.
Madani has worked for Sportsnet since 2009 and has covered a gamut of sports, including Hockey Night in Canada, the Olympics, multiple World Series, NBA Finals and Super Bowls.
In addition to his television work, he is a regular radio co-host on Prime Time Sports and is a contributor to the online print content on Sportsnet.ca.
Madani got his start in journalism as a columnist and freelance writer at the Truro Daily News while he attended high school at Cobequid Educational Centre.
Madani becomes the latest in a long list of great Canadian broadcasters to win the George Gross Award.
Past recipients include Dan Shulman, Brian Williams, Chris Cuthbert, Scott Russell, Rod Black, Rod Smith, Ron MacLean and Elliotte Friedman, among others.
“That the committee feels I belong anywhere in the conversation with these people is so beyond flattering, so beyond my level of comprehension, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it, I can’t tell you how much I’m humbled by it, and as a kid from Truro, Nova Scotia, I truly mean this, it’s a day I’ll forever cherish,” said Madani.
Other award recipients on Wednesday included Steve Armitage (CBC-TV Sports), career achievement; Bob Hanley (The Hamilton Spectator): posthumous honour roll; Rick Westhead (TSN), sports writing; Bernard Brault (La Presse Plus), photography; Tim Bezbatchenko (GM Toronto FC), sports executive of the year; and Jim Gregory (Long-serving NHL executive), President’s Award.
