Tyson Fury's 'Behind The Mask' wins Book of the Year at the Telegraph Sports Book Awards 2020

Tyson Fury has scooped the Telegraph Sports Book of the Year 2020 for his autobiography chronicling his extraordinary recovery from drugs and alcohol despair to winning heavyweight world title belts.

Behind The Mask, which charts the rise and fall and rise again of the self-proclaimed "Gypsy King", was also named autobiography of the year in a unanimous decision by the judging panel.

The book was one of 10 winners on the night, with Eddie Jones, the England coach, also expressing delight at winning Rugby Writers’ Book of the Year ahead of efforts from coaching rival Warren Gatland and former British & Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton.

Jones' account, My Life and Rugby, co-written with Donald McRae, was described by judges as being told with "unflinching honesty". "It’s nice that people have enjoyed the book and hopefully they’ve got something out of it as well,” Jones said.

Telegraph Sport cricket writer Tim Wigmore and co-author Freddie Wilde were also among the prize-winners, with Cricket 2.0 named the Heartaches Cricket Book of the Year. Their book, charting the rise of T20, was already Wisden Cricket Book of the Year.

The National Literacy Trust also helped launch the inaugural Children’s Sports Book of the Year, which was handed to Matt Oldfield’s Unbelievable Football. Sir Chris Hoy, England footballer Casey Stoney and BBC Sport’s Clare Balding had also been shortlisted.

The Pinsent Masons International Sports Book of the Year was awarded to Casey Legler’s Godspeed, a raw account of their life as teenage Olympic swimmer and their subsequent survival of horrific abuse, alcoholism and drug use. Brian Moore, Telegraph Sport columnist and chairman of the judging category, said the book was "an amazing and powerful memoir and a worthy winner”.

This year’s General Outstanding Sports Writing Award winner was Mind Games, an insider’s guide to the psychology of elite athletes from Olympic rower Annie Vernon, who won silver in Beijing, alongside Dame Katherine Grainger, Debbie Flood and Frances Houghton.

The Illustrated Sports Book of the Year Award went to award-winning photographer Richard Pelham with A Life Behind the Lens, an extensive look at Sun Sport’s leading photographer’s life work spanning 30 years and six World Cups.

Tobias Jones's Ultra, meanwhile, picked up the CLOC Football Book of the Year, in partnership with The Football Writers’ Association, for his "fascinating examination into a facet of Italian football’s subculture, scrutinising the sinister side of fandom". VAARU Cycling Book of the Year was named as The Yellow Jersey, by Peter Cossins.

Judges for the 18th Sports Book of the Year Awards included Sir Tim Rice, ex-England cricketer Darren Gough, Olympic gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu and BBC Broadcaster Louise Minchin.

It was sponsored for the second time by The Telegraph, and hosted by BBC Sport and ITV Racing host Rishi Persad, with highlights pre-recorded at Wimbledon.

Adam Sills, The Telegraph's Head of Sport, said: “The Sports Book Awards have delivered another great shortlist and campaign this year, despite difficult circumstances. We are happy to be once again supporting these awards and the work they do to highlight outstanding sports writing and publishing. Congratulations to all the winners and those shortlisted this year.”