Johannesburg - Now in its second year, the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards 2012 in South Africa is going from strength to strength with a raft of global brands confirming their commercial involvement in the annual ceremony that recognises the work of the rapidly evolving South African sports market.

Presented in front of a star-studded audience of all the key stakeholders in South African sport, the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards 2012 ceremony takes place on 23rd February, 2012 in the City of Ekurhuleni, proudly hosted by Emperors Palace as the official venue partner.

Leading the brands backing the Awards and building on a highly successful first year as the headline partner of the Awards is Virgin Active, while Neo Africa, ProSport International and Virgin Atlantic complete the top-tier partner line-up for the event.

Aside from the involvement of these leading brands, a number of other corporate companies have also given their significant backing to the Awards. SuperSport will again serve as the official broadcaster of the Sport Industry Awards whilst Rapport and Sport24.co.za will add their considerable online and print expertise as the event's official media partners.

Marketing agency Thackwell and Whittaker has been named as the official creative partner to the Awards, producing all of the branding for the prestigious event.

At a category sponsor level Gallo Images, Twenty-Six Degrees South, Johnnie Walker, Peermont, True Colour Events, and Repucom South Africa have also formed partnerships with the Awards in its second year.

Ensuring fairness and transparency throughout, Deloitte, the major international accounting and consulting firm, will be the Awards’ official independent adjudicator, overseeing the entirety of the judging process.

Following the success of the inaugural ceremony held in February, the second year of the Awards scheme is now open to entries to all brands, governing bodies, agencies and rights holders in South African sport with a view to celebrating the standout work produced by the country’s fast-evolving sport industry over the last twelve months.

Entries to the Awards are open across 11 categories and will recognise and reward the best the South African sport business has to offer across governance, marketing, PR, sponsorship, media, advertising and design.

As was the case with the first year, the Awards’ judging panel, led by former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad, are again expecting an impressive standard of entries in the event’s second year.

The deadline for entries is Monday 19th September and any organisation wishing to put forward their work for consideration can download the submission form online from the Awards’ section of Sport Industry website.