A glittering collection of the world’s greatest sports stars have been nominated for the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards - recognised as the premier honours on the international sporting calendar – ahead of the event being staged in the United Arab Emirates’ capital, Abu Dhabi, next month.

Among the great names of sport who have been nominated, following a vote by the world’s media, are Lance Armstrong, Usain Bolt, Jenson Button, Roger Federer, Lionel Messi, Valentino Rossi, Tom Watson and Serena Williams.

The names of the Nominees were unveiled by Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman Edwin Moses and his fellow Laureus Academy Members, Kapil Dev and Mika Hakkinen, at the 2010 Laureus Nominations Announcement at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi today.

Also present were H.E Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mahmood, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Mr. Mohamed Badawy Al-Husseiny, CEO of Aabar Investments PJSC, host partner of the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards.

H.E. Khadem Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Aabar Investments PJSC, host partner of the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards, said: “We thank HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his support, and through his foresight and leadership, we are confident that for years to come, our commitment to sporting development will continue to grow. Abu Dhabi offers a fascinating combination of the old and the new; a blend of Arabian hospitality and mystique where a mixture of culture and tradition come together against a backdrop of the most modern world-class infrastructure.

“Abu Dhabi is developing a reputation as a great sporting venue. Last year FIFA chose Abu Dhabi to stage football’s FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009/2010 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship are now highlights of the emirate’s sporting calendar. Aabar’s sponsorship of Laureus is inline with our strategy to sponsor activities that result in benefits to Abu Dhabi.”

The Laureus World Sports Awards recognise sporting achievement during the period January 1 - December 31, 2009. The winners - as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time - will be unveiled during a televised Awards Ceremony staged in the emirate on March 10, 2010.

H.E Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mahmood, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has set out a clear roadmap for the development of both the destination as a major sports events hub and for the progression of the local sporting community. The news that Laureus will be hosting the Awards – widely regarded as the pinnacle of sporting accomplishment – in the UAE capital for the first time, sends a very clear signal. It will also provide a significant boost to our own sporting ambitions and offers a world-class platform for sportsmen and women from Abu Dhabi and, indeed the Arab world, to connect with athletes from around the globe.”

Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman and double Olympic gold medalist, Edwin Moses, said: “This has been a great year for sport and the Academy are going to find it extremely difficult to decide who to vote for as winners. We have had some thrilling world championships this year and a host of terrific individual performances. I congratulate all the nominees and now we are looking forward to what should be a great Awards Ceremony.

“I am thrilled and delighted that the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards is to be staged in Abu Dhabi. This is a wonderful way to start our second decade of life. The Gulf region has grown dramatically in sporting significance in the last decade and with its long and distinguished history, I am sure the Awards in Abu Dhabi will be an unforgettable experience.”

Last year’s winner of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award, Usain Bolt, and four-time winner Roger Federer have both been nominated again, along with FC Barcelona’s precocious young footballer Lionel Messi, long distance runner Kenenisa Bekele, Tour de France winner Alberto Contador and Italy’s seven-time senior MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi.

Two-time Laureus winner Serena Williams is nominated for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award after winning two Grand Slam titles in 2009. Also short-listed are swimmers Federica Pellegrini and Britta Steffen, athletes Shelly-Ann Fraser and Sanya Richards, and US ski racer Lindsey Vonn.

Several of sport’s biggest names – Tour de France cyclist and two-time Laureus winner Lance Armstrong, golfing legend Tom Watson and Belgian tennis star Kim Clijsters - have been nominated for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award. Also nominated in this category are American Football quarter-back Brett Favre and athletes Jessica Ennis and Blanka Vlasic.

The Laureus World Team of the Year Award could be the most competitive battle with Los Angeles Lakers and New York Yankees pitched against FC Barcelona, the Germany Women’s Football Team, Brawn Formula One and the South Africa Rugby Team, who were winners in 2008.

The Nominees for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award include three Britons – Formula One World Champion Jenson Button, Tour de France cyclist Mark Cavendish and diver Tom Daley. Also nominated are Argentina’s winner of the US Open tennis star Juan Martin del Potro, South Korea’s talented young golfer Ji Yai Shin and German football team VFL Wolfsburg.

Australia’s wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley, who crawled the 96km Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea to raise awareness of men’s health issues, is nominated for the second time in four years for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award, along with fellow Australian and wheelchair basketball player Justin Eveson, Turkish archer Gizem Girismen, Japan’s wheelchair tennis star Shingo Kunieda, German cyclist Michael Teuber and South African swimmer Natalie du Toit, who competes in both able-bodied and Paralympic events.

Surfing dominates the Laureus World Action Sports Award this year, with Australian world champions Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore nominated along with American Greg Long and French windsurfer Antoine Albeau. Also nominated are US skateboarder Chris Cole and British cyclist Danny MacAskill.
 

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