Right or wrong your searchfu has hit something perfectly matching his description.

Thanks for posting this. I’ve added a few to my list.

The first culture novel is Consider Phlebas.

Start with that.

The whole story and explanation stretches credulity a lot, however I would say that the pace picks up and the backstory develops significantly in the second season (if they stick to the books)

Correctness is more important. The awards are not just for athletes but other sportspeople too (presenters, officials, etc)