Global Sporting Legends To Attend Laureus World Sports Awards In London

- ‘I am delighted that so many members of the Laureus Family will be in London

   for this great event’ – says Laureus Academy Chairman Edwin Moses

- Laureus World Sports Awards to be held in London from February 5-6

- Apply for media accreditation on www.laureus.com/accreditation  

LONDON, January 23, 2012 – Sporting greats, past and present, will be in the audience when the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards is held in London on Monday, February 6.

At the Awards Ceremony will be a host of Laureus Academy Members, Ambassadors, Nominees and sports stars from around the world, including Boris Becker, Bobby Charlton, Nadia Comaneci, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Fitzpatrick, Ruud Gullit, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Edwin Moses, Martina Navratilova, Gary Player, Steve Redgrave, Mark Spitz and Steve Waugh.

The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement, are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar.   The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury made up of 47 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, will be unveiled at a globally televised Awards Ceremony staged at Central Hall, Westminster, in London.

The current list of sports stars, past and present, who have so far confirmed their attendance are:
 

Double Olympic gold medallist Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “I am delighted that the 2012 Laureus Awards is to be staged in London. Sport is close to the hearts of everyone in London and the UK and that makes me very excited that the Awards are being held here. I am thrilled that so many members of the Laureus Family will be there to salute the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of the year.”

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: "I am excited that the Laureus World Sports Awards and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation have decided to bring the Awards to London for 2012. Laureus and I share a commitment to making sport a positive part of everyone's life regardless of age and ability.  Celebrating the power of sport here in London with the world's sporting superstars will provide the perfect start to our Olympic year and it marks the beginning of a real and long-lasting grassroots sports legacy for London and beyond."

Among the winners who have received Awards at previous Awards Ceremonies have been Jenson Button, Roger Federer, Sir Alex Ferguson, Lewis Hamilton, Justine Henin, Kelly Holmes, Rafael Nadal, Sir Steve Redgrave, Ronaldo, Michael Schumacher, Kelly Slater, Serena Williams and Zinedine Zidane. Guests attending the Awards Ceremony have included His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain, HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Sean Connery, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Morgan Freeman, Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey.

Laureus combines the Laureus World Sports Awards, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Laureus World Sports Academy to form a unique international sports organisation that uses the inspirational power of sport as a force for good. The Laureus Foundation is a global leader in research, expertise and best practice in supporting grassroots sports programmes around the world.

Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports 91 community sports projects around the world. Since its inception, Laureus has raised €40 million for projects which have improved the lives of more than one-and-a-half million young people.

The full list of Nominees for the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards is:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
Usain Bolt (Jamaica, Athletics), Novak Djokovic (Serbia, Tennis), Cadel Evans (Australia, Cycling), Lionel Messi (Argentina, Football), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany, Basketball), Sebastian Vettel (Germany, Motor Racing)

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya, Athletics), Maria Höfl-Riesch (Germany, Alpine Skiing), Carmelita Jeter (US, Athletics), Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic, Tennis), Homare Sawa (Japan, Football), Yani Tseng (Taiwan, Golf)

Laureus World Team of the Year
All Blacks (N.Zealand, Rugby), FC Barcelona (Spain, Football), Dallas Mavericks (US, Basketball), England Cricket Team (UK), Japan Women’s Football Team, Red Bull (Austria, Motor Racing)

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year
Yohan Blake (Jamaica, Athletics), Mo Farah (UK, Athletics), Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic, Tennis), Rory McIlroy (UK, Golf), Li Na (China, Tennis), Oscar Pistorius (S.Africa, Athletics)

Laureus World Comeback of the Year
Eric Abidal (France, Football), Darren Clarke (UK, Golf), Crusaders (N.Zealand, Rugby), Sergio Garcia (Spain, Golf), Liu Xiang (China, Athletics), Queensland Reds (Australia, Rugby)

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
Daniel Dias (Brazil, Swimming), Terezinha Guilhermina (Brazil, Athletics), Oscar Pistorius (S.Africa, Athletics), Esther Vergeer (Netherlands, Wheelchair Tennis), David Weir (UK, Wheelchair Athletics), Irek Zaripov (Russia, Nordic Skiing)

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year
Jamie Bestwick (UK, BMX), Philip Köster (Germany, Windsurfing), Carissa Moore (US, Surfing),
Travis Rice (US, Snowboarding), Kelly Slater (US, Surfing), Shaun White (US, Skateboarding/Snowboarding)

For detailed biographies of Nominees go to www.laureus.com

For further information please contact:
Gerald Meier
Laureus Global Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7514 2863
Fax: +44 (0)20 7514 2837
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.laureus.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Patron of Laureus is Nelson Mandela.  At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, President Mandela said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.” This has become the philosophy of Laureus; the driving force behind its work.

Laureus is a universal movement that celebrates the power of sport to bring people together as a force for good.  Laureus is composed of three core elements - the Laureus World Sports Academy, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Laureus World Sports Awards - which collectively celebrate sporting excellence and use sport as the means to promote social change

The members of the Laureus World Sports Academy are: Giacomo Agostini, Marcus Allen, Franz Beckenbauer, Boris Becker, Ian Botham, Sergey Bubka, Bobby Charlton, Sebastian Coe, Nadia Comaneci, Yaping Deng, Marcel Desailly, Kapil Dev, Mick Doohan, David Douillet, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Fitzpatrick, Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Mika Häkkinen, Tony Hawk, Mike Horn, Miguel Indurain, Michael Johnson, Kip Keino, Franz Klammer, Dan Marino, John McEnroe, Edwin Moses (Chairman), Nawal El Moutawakel, Robby Naish, Ilie Nastase, Martina Navratilova, Alexey Nemov, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Morné du Plessis, Hugo Porta, Steve Redgrave, Vivian Richards, Monica Seles, Mark Spitz, Daley Thompson, Alberto Tomba, Steve Waugh and Katarina Witt.

The Laureus Academy members volunteer their services as global ambassadors for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which was set up to promote the use of sport as a tool for social change. The Foundation addresses social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives. Since its inception, Laureus has raised over €40 million for projects which have helped to improve the lives of more than one-and-a-half million young people. The Foundation addresses issues in particular involving, but not limited to, young people impacted by social exclusion, gun and gang violence, discrimination, community integration, peace and reconciliation, and education. The Academy is supported in its work by the members of the Laureus Ambassadors programme, a select group of current and retired sportsmen and sportswomen who have achieved sporting greatness, plus non-sporting personalities who have made significant contributions to the sporting community during their careers.  

The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports awards honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year.  The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 47 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the living legends of sport honouring the great athletes of today.  The Awards are presented at an annual Awards Ceremony, attended by global figures from sport and entertainment, which is broadcast to 120 countries and territories.   

Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation which supports 91 community sports projects around the world.  The 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards will be held in London on February 6.

There is a two-part voting process to find the winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards.  Firstly, a Selection Panel of the world’s leading sports editors, writers and broadcasters have been voting to create a shortlist of six nominations in five categories – Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, Laureus World Team of the Year, Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year and Laureus World Comeback of the Year.  The nominations for two additional categories - the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year and the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability are produced by Specialist Panels.  The members of the Laureus World Sports Academy then vote by secret ballot to select the Award winners in all seven categories.  

Laureus was founded by its Patrons Richemont and Daimler and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and Vodafone.




Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz, the world’s oldest automaker, can look back on a unique tradition. It is the most valuable automotive premium brand which stands for quality, safety, comfort, design and sustainable mobility. Mercedes-Benz enjoys an excellent reputation, particularly in the field of safety. Many pioneering technical innovations that are standard automotive features today were first seen in a Mercedes-Benz car. The Mercedes-Benz engineers will in the future consistently reinvent the automobile – with the same enthusiasm and innovation as Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz in 1886. Moreover, Mercedes-Benz has been actively supporting professional and amateur sport for decades and has become established as a dependable partner in the fields of motor sport, football, golf, horse riding and tennis.  Mercedes-Benz is a Global Partner of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Since the beginning of the Foundation's operations in 2000, Mercedes-Benz has shared and supported the goals and values of this worldwide charity programme where sports play the core role in the fight against social issues - Laureus has become a vital element of the corporate social responsibility programme of Mercedes-Benz.

IWC Schaffhausen
With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing watches of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of Haute Horlogerie at its finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design.

Vodafone
Vodafone is one of the world's largest mobile communications companies by revenue with approximately 391 million customers in its controlled and jointly controlled markets as at 30 September 2011. Vodafone currently has equity interests in over 30 countries across five continents and more than 40 partner networks worldwide.  For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com