The Laureus World Sports Awards is an annual award ceremony honouring individuals and teams from the world of sports along with sporting achievements throughout the year. It was established in 1999 by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation founding patrons Daimler and Richemont. It is supported by its global partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. The name "Laureus" is derived from the Greek word for laurel, considered a traditional symbol of victory in athletics.
The first ceremony was held on 25 May 2000 in Monte Carlo, at which South African president Nelson Mandela gave the keynote speech. , awards are made annually in eight categories, with a number of discretionary categories irregularly recognised. The recipient of each award is presented with a Laureus statuette, created by Cartier, at an annual ceremony held in various locations around the world. , the ceremonies have been held in eleven cities, and are broadcast in at least 160 countries.
Swiss tennis player Roger Federer holds the record for the most awards with six, five for Sportsman of the Year and one for Comeback of the Year. American tennis player Serena Williams and American artistic gymnast Simone Biles holds the record for most awards held by a female with five, four for Sportswoman of the Year and one for Comeback of the Year. Novak Djokovic won the 2024 Sports Man of the year award and grabbed his 5th title, making him the most decorated sportsman in the History of the Award along with Roger Federer. A number of awards have been rescinded, namely those presented to American cyclist Lance Armstrong, American sprinter Marion Jones and Canadian amputee sprinter Earle Connor, each of whom were subsequently found to have illegally used drugs to achieve their records. In the 2020 ceremony, Argentine footballer Lionel Messi became the first footballer to win the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award. He is also the first and only athlete to win it coming from a team sport. Moreover, in 2023, Messi once again won it and became the only sportsperson as well as footballer to ever win the award twice from a team sport.
History
The organisation, established in 1998 to do charity by a partnership of Richemont and Daimler became known as "Laureus", its name being derived from the Greek word for laurel, considered a traditional symbol of victory in athletics. The first Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony was held two years later, at which the patron and president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, delivered a speech which Edwin Moses has described as "iconic".
Awards were made in seven regular categories and two discretionary categories at the inaugural ceremony, hosted by the American actors Jeff Bridges and Dylan McDermott. Two of those awards would later be rescinded: both the American cyclist Lance Armstrong and the American track athlete Marion Jones were found to have used performance-enhancing drugs and had their awards withdrawn. The award for American amputee sprinter Earle Connor, who won the 2004 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award, was also later rescinded.
The awards are frequently referred to as the sporting equivalent of an "Oscar" for movies.
Categories The Laureus Nominations Panel, composed of more than 1,000 members of sports media from more than 70 countries, vote to create a shortlist of nominations in six categories: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Laureus World Team of the Year Laureus World Comeback of the Year Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Laureus Action Sportsperson of the Year
The nominees of the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability are chosen by the International Paralympic Committee.
The Laureus World Sports Academy is an association of 68 retired sportspeople who volunteer to support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. They also vote each year to decide the winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards. , the chairman of the Academy is Sean Fitzpatrick, former rugby player from New Zealand. The members of the Academy vote by secret ballot to select the winners.
The public votes to select the winner for one category, the Laureus Best Sporting Moment of the Year.
The Academy also makes discretionary awards, including: Lifetime Achievement Award Sport for Good Award Spirit of Sport Award Exceptional Achievement Award Sporting Inspiration Award Young Sportsperson of the Year
Ceremony The Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony is held annually at various venues in various locations around the world. The inaugural ceremony took place at the Sporting Club in Monaco on 25 May 2000. , the ceremonies have been held in eleven cities around the world, and are broadcast in at least 160 countries. Each Laureus World Sports Award winner receives a Cartier Laureus statuette which features a "representation of the striving human form". The award weighs approximately (with of solid silver and a gold-finish base) and is tall.
+Locations of Laureus World Sports Awards ceremonies Year Location Venue Notes Ref(s) 2000 Monaco Sporting Club Patron was Nelson Mandela 2001Grimaldi Forum Patron was Prince Albert 2002 2003 2004 Lisbon, Portugal Cultural Centre of Belém Patron was José Manuel Barroso 2005 Estoril, Portugal Casino Estoril 2006 Barcelona, Spain Parc del Fòrum 2007 Palau Sant Jordi Patron was Juan Carlos I of Spain 2008 Saint Petersburg, Russia Mariinsky Theatre Attended by President Vladimir Putin 2009Ceremony cancelled due to world economic crisis; awards presented to winners individually at other events from May to June. 2010 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Emirates Palace 2011 2012 London, United Kingdom Central Hall Westminster 2013 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Theatro Municipal 2014 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Istana Budaya 2015 Shanghai, China Shanghai Grand Theatre 2016 Berlin, Germany Palais am Funkturm 2017 Monaco Sporting Club 2018 2019 2020 Berlin, Germany Verti Halle Twentieth anniversary of awards 2021 Seville, Spain Online Virtual ceremony 2022 Seville, Spain Online Virtual ceremony2023 Paris, FrancePavillon Vendome2024 Madrid, SpainPalacio de Cibeles2025 Twenty-fifth anniversary of awards2026
Winners by category
Regular awards Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year
Team of the Year
Breakthrough of the Year
Prior to 2007, this award was called Newcomer of the Year.
Comeback of the Year
Sportsperson with a Disability of the Year
Action Sportsperson of the Year
Prior to 2007, this award was called Alternative Sportsperson of the Year.
Best Sporting Moment The Best Sporting Moment Award, inaugurated in 2017, and voted for by the public, was won by the FC Barcelona under-12 (Infantil-B) side for their sportsmanship in consoling a defeated opposition team. The 2018 award was won by fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes football team, who at the end of the first quarter of each home game turn toward the children's hospital that overlooks the playing field and wave to patients watching the game. For the 2020 ceremony, the Best Sporting Moment was drawn from the previous two decades and voted for by the general public. Referred to as the "Laureus Sporting Moment Award (2000–2020)", it was won by Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. In 2021, Chris Nikic was presented with the Best Sporting Moment award.
Discretionary awards
Since 2000, the Laureus World Sports Awards have included a number of accolades given by the Academy at their discretion. At the first ceremony in 2000, Brazilian footballer Pelé became the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, while American Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics was presented with the inaugural Laureus Sport for Good Award. The first Spirit of Sport award was presented in 2005 to the Boston Red Sox who had won the World Series for the first time in 86 years. In 2013, American swimmer Michael Phelps became the first recipient of the Exceptional Achievement Award. , Chinese tennis player Li Na (2015) and Italian footballer Francesco Totti (2018) are the only other people to be honoured with the award. In 2017, the Refugee Olympic Team, comprising ten athletes from Syria, Congo, Ethiopia and South Sudan, was awarded the first Sporting Inspiration Award. The following year, the award was presented to the American footballer J. J. Watt whose "exceptional humanitarian efforts" raised more than US$37 million for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. In 2021, Lewis Hamilton was presented with the Athlete Advocate of the Year Award.
Winners by year Regular awards +Laureus World Sports Awards regular awards winners Year Sportsman Sportswoman Team Breakthrough Comeback Disability Action Moment Ref. 2000 * Manchester United * 2001 (2) France national football team 2002 Australia national cricket team 2003 * Brazil national football team Ronaldo 2004 (2) England national rugby union team * 2005 Greece national football team 2006 Renault F1 team 2007 Italy national football team 2008 South Africa national rugby union team 2009 (2) China Olympic team 2010 Brawn F1 team 2011 Spain national football team 2012 FC Barcelona 2013 Europe Ryder Cup team 2014 Bayern Munich 2015 Germany national football team 2016 New Zealand national rugby union team 2017 (4) Chicago Cubs FC Barcelona under-12s 2018 (5) (4) Mercedes F1 Team Chapecoense 2019 France national football team 2020 & South Africa national rugby union team 2021 (2) Bayern Munich 2022Max VerstappenElaine Thompson-HerahItaly national football teamEmma RaducanuSky BrownMarcel HugBethany Shriever 2023Lionel Messi (2)Shelly-Ann Fraser-PryceArgentina national football teamCarlos AlcarazChristian EriksenCatherine DebrunnerEileen Gu 2024Novak Djokovic (5)Aitana BonmatíSpain women's national football teamJude BellinghamSimone BilesDiede de GrootArisa Trew 2025Armand DuplantisSimone Biles (4)Real MadridLamine YamalRebeca AndradeJiang YuyanTom Pidcock2026Carlos AlcarazAryna SabalenkaParis Saint-GermainLando NorrisRory McIlroyGabriel AraújoChloe Kim (3)
+Key*Indicates individual whose award or nomination was later rescindedscope="row" style="text-align:center" Not awarded
Discretionary awards + Laureus World Sports Awards discretionary awards recipients Year Lifetime Sport for Good Spirit of Sport Exceptional Achievement Sporting Inspiration Athlete Advocate Sporting Icon Award Sport for good societyYoung Sportsperson of the Year Ref. 2000 Pelé 2001 2003 2004 Mathare Youth Sports Association rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 India national cricket teamPakistan national cricket team 2005 Boston Red Sox 2006 2007 FC Barcelona 2008 Brendan and Sean Tuohy 2009 2010 2011 European Ryder Cup team 2012 Raí 2013 2014 Magic Bus Afghanistan national cricket team 2015 Skateistan 2016 Moving the Goalposts 2017 Waves for Change Leicester City Refugee Olympic Team 2018 Active Communities Network 2019 Yuwa 2020 Dirk Nowitzki South Bronx United Spanish Basketball Federation 2021 Kickformore by Kickfair 2022Tom BradyLost Boyz Inc.Robert Lewandowski Gerald Asamoah and the Black EaglesValentino Rossi Real Madrid Foundation 2023TeamUp (Robert Lewandowski) 2024Fundación Rafa Nadal (Rafael Nadal) 2025Kelly SlaterKick4LifeRafael Nadal 2026Nadia ComăneciFútbol MásToni Kroos Lamine Yamal
+ Key Indicates posthumous award scope=row style="text-align:center" Not awarded
See also Arthur Ashe Courage Award List of volunteer awards
References
External links