The ACT government is searching for the best "vehicle" to recognise Canberra's elite and grassroots sports people to ensure a generation of stars isn't lost in the record books following the demise of ACT Sport.
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Nine athletes, coaches and officials were inducted into the ACT Sport Hall of Fame on Monday at Manuka Oval, with Sydney Swans champion Craig Bolton and para-sports great Michael Milton headlining the new group.
But there will be no sports star of the year awards for the first time since 1984 after ACT Sport disbanded after reviewing accounts and the growth of commercial sporting organisations.
Canberra is enjoying international recognition thanks to Patrick Mills (NBA), Nick Kyrgios (tennis), Michael Matthews (cycling), Tom Rogic (soccer), Anna Flanagan (hockey) and Caroline Buchanan (BMX).
The male and female sports star award recognised athletes still based in Canberra, with a special category reserved for those on the international stage.
ACT sport and recreation minister Shane Rattenbury said: "We want to keep the Hall of Fame and sports star of the year going because it captures Canberra's sporting history.
"We need to keep it going, it's a matter of finding the right vehicle to do that. I'm not convinced the government should run it. But we don't want it to fall over.
"We've got to find the right group of people to do that. The government could do it, but the way ACT Sport has done it in the past is that it has come from the sports. We've got to see that continue."
ACT Sport represented more than 70 community-based organisations for more than 30 years before it finished operations in July.
The ACT government advanced $81,200 to ACT Sport this year to help the organisation with immediate cash-flow issues.
But its absence has left a hole in recognising Canberra's premier sporting teams and athletes, as well as community participants.
"We've got a bit of space to think about the longer-term strategy. There won't be a sports star this year, but we do intend to bring it back," Rattenbury said.
"It's a great period for Canberra sport, we've had international cricket come here and the Asian Cup soccer. There's no doubt it has been a great time.
"It was a shame to see the demise of ACT Sport. They did themselves out of a job, they took sports from the kitchen table into a professional sort of environment.
"Sports can stand on their own two feet now. But they have been vocal in saying they still want the Hall of Fame. We're asking around to see who the right person is."
The Hall of Fame function was initially supposed to be held in August, but was pushed back to give the government time to take over ACT Sport's operations.
The Hall of Fame already includes retired stars David Campese, Mal Meninga, Gary Belcher, Joe Roff, Ricky Stuart, Ned Zilic, George Gregan and Wally Masur.
Bolton, Milton, Lisa Llorens (para athletics), Sue Geh (basketball) and Adam Jeffrey (lawn bowling) were the athletes inducted this year as well as former Raiders chairman John McIntyre, Brumbies president Geoff Larkham, para-athletics coach Chris Nunn, hockey administrator Graham Carter.
