Laureus World Sports Awards

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20, 2014 – Dutch football maestro Johan Cruyff and All Blacks rugby legend Dan Carter are among the latest sporting greats to confirm attendance at the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards in Kuala Lumpur next week.

German actor Daniel Brühl, who could easily be mistaken as a sportsman following his brilliant portrayal of Niki Lauda in the film Rush, is the latest entertainment star to confirm attendance, along with Chinese supermodel and actress Du Juan.

Also present will be two of Malaysia’s greatest sports stars, seven-times world squash champion Nicol David and badminton world No 1 Lee Chong Wei.

The 15th 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 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, will be unveiled at a globally televised Awards Ceremony staged at Istana Budaya in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday, March 26.

Great Olympians such as Sebastian Coe, Michael Johnson and Mark Spitz, football giants Bobby Charlton, Marcel Desailly and Ruud Gullit and sports legends, including boxing’s Marvelous Marvin Hagler, rugby’s Sean Fitzpatrick and skateboard legend Tony Hawk, will be attending the prestigious event.

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch will host the Awards Ceremony and Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx will perform to the star-studded audience. Among the Laureus Academy Members,

Ambassadors, Nominees and Guests so far confirmed for Kuala Lumpur are:

Giacomo Agostini Marcel Desailly Nico Hülkenberg Ilie Nastase

Vítor Baía Kapil Dev Michael Johnson Alexey Nemov

Jamie Bestwick Mick Doohan Franz Klammer Antonis Nikopolidis

Ronald de Boer Du Juan Kip Keino Sophie Pascoe

Daniel Brühl Paulo Ferreira Michael Laudrup Patrick Peterson

Sergey Bubka Sean Fitzpatrick Lee Chong Wei Morné du Plessis

Fabio Capello Dawn Fraser Tegla Loroupe Hugo Porta

Dan Carter Maya Gabeira Steve McManaman Sarah Louise Rung

Bobby Charlton Stephanie Gilmore Marc Márquez Jimmy Spithill

Sebastian Coe Ruud Gullit Gaizka Mendieta Mark Spitz

Nadia Comaneci Marvelous Marvin Hagler Luis Milla Terrell Suggs

Johan Cruyff Tony Hawk Edwin Moses Daley Thompson

Nicol David Raphael Holzdeppe Hidetoshi Nakata Steve Waugh

Deng Yaping

Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports more than 140 community sports projects in 34 countries. Since its inception, Laureus has raised over €60 million for projects which have improved the lives of millions of young people.

Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) is the corporate social responsibility partner of the Laureus World Sports Awards and has been working with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation to help young people in Malaysia through the use of sport. Edwin Moses said: “We are not just in Malaysia for the Laureus Awards. We have been working with YR1M to do what we can to help young people. We are really delighted to be working with such excellent partners as YR1M and we hope our activities will make a difference.”

YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri, Minister of Tourism & Culture of Malaysia, said: “Kuala Lumpur is honoured to have been given the privilege of hosting the prestigious 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards and the city looks forward to staging this internationally-renowned event and welcoming a plethora of sporting legends to Malaysia. This is a sports-loving country and I can promise warm Malaysian hospitality awaits all our guests. Coupled with international events such as the Monsoon Cup and Formula One Grand Prix, we are supremely confident that Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is the perfect host for a sporting event with such global significance. I am positive this will be an event to remember for all involved.”

The full list of Nominees for the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards is:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year

Usain Bolt (Jamaica) Athletics; Mo Farah (UK) Athletics; LeBron James (US) Basketball; Rafael Nadal (Spain) Tennis; Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) Football; Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Motor Racing.

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

Nadine Angerer (Germany) Football; Missy Franklin (US) Swimming; Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) Athletics; Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) Athletics; Tina Maze (Slovenia) Skiing; Serena Williams (US) Tennis.

Laureus World Team of the Year

All Blacks (NZ) Rugby Union; Bayern Munich (Germany) Football; Brazil Men’s Football Team; Bob & Mike Bryan (US) Tennis; Miami Heat (US) Basketball; Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing.

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year

Afghanistan Cricket Team; Marc Márquez (Spain) Motor Cycling; Raphael Holzdeppe (Germany) Athletics; Nairo Quintana (Colombia) Cycling; Justin Rose (UK) Golf; Adam Scott (Australia) Golf.

Laureus World Comeback of the Year

Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) Athletics; Rafael Nadal (Spain) Tennis; Oracle Team USA – Sailing; Tony Parker (France) Basketball; Ronaldinho (Brazil) Football; Tiger Woods (US) Golf.

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability

Marie Bochet (France) Skiing; Marcel Hug (Switzerland) Wheelchair Racing; Tatyana McFadden (US) Wheelchair Racing; Sophie Pascoe (NZ) Swimming; Sarah Louise Rung (Norway) Swimming; Olga Sviderska (Ukraine) Swimming.

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year

Jamie Bestwick (UK) BMX; Bob Burnquist (Brazil) Skateboarding; Mick Fanning (Australia) Surfing; John John Florence (US) Surfing; Maya Gabeira (Brazil) Surfing; Shaun White (US) Snowboarding. —- Laureus