“Sport has the power to change the world, it has power to inspire. It has the power to unite people, in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth, in a language they understand. Sport, can create hope where once was only despair. It is more powerful than Government, in breaking down racial barriers.” —Nelson Mandela, Laureus International Sports Awards, 2000
From Greenland to Perth, from Mongolia to Chile, in between the two poles and far beyond boundaries—The Laureus Sports Awards are undoubtedly the most prestigious accolades any athlete can aspire to.
It is where Hollywood glitterati meets the Sports bar. It is where Samuel Jackson, Eva Longoria, Cuba Gooding Junior (show me the money?), Kim Cattrall (Samantha, Sex and the City) and Kyle Maclachlan (Desperate Housewives and Sex and the City) share a glass of wine with the best athletes in the world.
It is so prestigious that Russian Premier Vladimir Putin made personal calls to stage the 2008 Laureus Awards in St. Petersburg. King Juan Carlos was on roll call to present the awards when Laureus was staged in his home nation of Spain.
Edwin Moses, Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, Boris Becker, Mika Hakkinen and Navratilova are some of the best in their sports, who comprise the elite panel that nominates each year's athletes in their respective sports.
I love Laureus for it is truly an international organization. Unlike Sports Illustrated or the ESPY Awards, which predominantly favor American sports, Laureus presents awards from sports as diverse as cricket, tennis, formula one, rugby and athletics.
Federer has won Laureus four times for best athlete of the year, but what makes the Laureus awards so classy is that it has deservingly awarded American athletes consistently, from Lance Armstrong to Tiger Woods, from Serena Williams to Jennifer Capriati. Which, unfortunately, the main stream publications and awards often fail to do.They are either too focused on sports in one country or specific location.
The speech by Nelson Mandela in Laureus, in the year 2000 was spell-binding, capturing the true essence of sport, a moment so surreal, that his words were etched in my heart.
One of my most favorite moments was when Becker announced the Best Athlete of the Year in a very typical German accent, “Michael Schumacher”. M. Schumacher won it in 2004, a moment so surreal that I still remember it like yesterday. Schumacher was an embodiment of consummate grace and panache on the podium.
Led by Nadia Comeneci (Perfect 10), the Laureus is also involved in improvement of sports infrastructure and undertakes measures for racism abolition; in many countries they’re involved at the grass-roots level. For the glitter and glamour during every annual award show, the effort to promote sports and social progression using sport as a conduit is genuinely admirable.
It is indeed a team effort, quite elegantly emphasized by the Morgan Freeman advertisement, which happens to be one of my favorites.
The academy members open training facilities and gymnasiums in youth correction facilities and penitentiaries around the world. More commendably, the academy uses sports as a medium to address social challenges such as violence, substance abuse, racial discrimination, as well as the lack of health and education, in impoverished countries.
The complete list of social projects is described in detail on the Laureus home page.
The more I think about it, the more obvious it is that the motives and aspirations of the Laureus Academy are far beyond sports. The core essence of Laureus is using sports to promote social progression in locations around the world where it is most entailed. It is using the power, magnetism and influence of sports to raise money to fund projects on a global scale, to eventually provide an opportunity for those who need it most to succeed in their aspirations and dreams.
In concordance with the theme of the award that includes social progression, the annual award for athletes are who are physically challenged was won by Eetheer Vergger for wheel-chair tennis. It is undoubtedly a poignant moment for those athletes who value this recognition at the global level, as an incomparable honor. Their indomitable spirit, to take on the challenges in life is quite exhilarating.
The objectives of the academy itself are more profound than appears on the surface, and one that genuinely intends to make a positive change in people’s lives.
Sport by itself is inspiring…even more so is using it as a conduit, to improve the lives of the future generation.
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