Local author triumphs at glittering UK Sports Book Awards

Sam Peters wins Best Sports Writing Award for his acclaimed book Concussed, an impactful investigation into sports brain injuries

Local author and former journalist Sam Peters has won a prestigious national writing award for his critically acclaimed new book Concussed.

Sam, who lives in Fovant and whose daughter Ella attends Wardour Primary School near Tisbury, won the Best Sports Writing Category at the UK Sports Book Awards held at London’s Kia Oval in June. He received his award on stage at a glittering ceremony, attended by global sporting icons from across the globe, from ITV sports broadcaster Mark Pougatch, who described Concussed as ‘a truly incredible piece of sports writing’.

Sam, 46, has campaigned through his work for improved safety measures in sport for more than two decades, first as a national newspaper journalist and latterly as an author. He has received industry-wide recognition since Concussed was published by Atlantic Books in August 2023.

Even before scooping the Best Sports Writing Award, Concussed had already been shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year as well as being named a Times and Telegraph Book of the Year and a Waterstones Sports Book of the Year. Judges for the William Hill Sports Book Awards recently described Sam’s work exposing the extent of brain injuries in sport as having ‘clear parallels with the way David Walsh (The Sunday Times) took down cyclist Lance Armstrong. The research is excellent and as you’d imagine from someone who writes for a living, the book is highly readable’.

Sam, who moved to Wiltshire in 2017 after resigning as rugby correspondent at the Mail on Sunday – in part to enable him to write more freely about professional sport’s approach to concussion – has previously been shortlisted as sports journalist of the year (UK Press Awards) and investigative journalist of the year at the SJAs. Concussed recounts the many challenges and open hostility Sam faced trying to blow the whistle on professional rugby’s concussion crisis. Winning this latest award means Sam can now be acknowledged as one of the world’s leading authorities on brain injuries in sport.

‘When I was growing up most of my heroes were either journalists or sports stars – to be recognised for doing good work in sports journalism is a bit of a dream come true,’ Sam says.

‘I could not be happier with the way Concussed has been received. It’s a huge relief to finally be listened to and recognised by people who understand the deep affection I hold not just for sport but for those who play it.’

Concussed is now in the process of being turned into a screenplay, with Sam having only recently completed the first draft of a script with awardwinning screenwriter Nick Boocock.

• Concussed is available from all good bookshops

• Sam doesn’t have a website, but can be contacted for speaking and events on sam@concussed.media