The Sports Journalists Association of Great Britain is to choose its top sportsmen and women in the country next week

The awards will come just a week after it was revealed that the shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, which is put together with the help of regional journalists, contains no women.

The SJA, which contains representatives of the national and regional sports media, will also reveal who has won its Team of the Year trophy, as decided by members.

The winners will be announced by Sir Michael Parkinson, the president of the association at a special lunch at Covent Garden on 7 December.

The award for sportswoman of the year was first presented in 1959 and in the running are swimmer Rebecca Adlington, heptathlete Jessica Ennis, triathlete Helen Jenkins,  jockey Hayley Turner, gymnast Beth Twaddle and open water swimmer Keri-Ann Payne.

The male finalists for sportsman of the year are athlete Mo Farah, cyclist Mark Cavendish, golfer Darren Clarke, cricketer Alastair Cook, hurdler Dai Greene and golfer Rory Mcilroy.

The BBC’s shortlist for sports personality of the year list is put together based on nominations from sports experts from regional and national newspapers and magazines, including the Belfast Telegraph, Manchester Evening News and Western Mail.

Following its publication this week Rebecca Adlington wrote on Twitter that great women like Keri-Ann Payne had not been recognised and said hopefully next year would be all female nominations following the Olympics

It is the first time since voting for Sports Personality of the Year changed in 2006 that a woman has not been on the shortlist but BBC Sport said it was up to each publication how they voted.

Click here for the shortlist.