Global sports stars to grace Laureus World Sports Awards

This is the 25th edition of the Laureus Awards - now regarded as the "athletes' awards" due to their unique selection process and the regard in which they are held by sportsmen and women at all levels.

Madrid will be the focus of the sports world next month when it stages the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards, the most prestigious honours event on the international sporting calendar. This is the 25th edition of the Laureus Awards - now regarded as the "athletes' awards" due to their unique selection process and the regard in which they are held by sportsmen and women at all levels.

The responsibility of selecting the winners falls to the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy - legends of the sport who are best placed to appreciate the unique stories and achievements of the Nominees selected in each category by a panel of over 1300 top sports media, as per a press release from Laureus Sports. No fewer than 15 Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners will attend this year's awards - a precursor to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games - alongside world champions from major sports - including World Cup winners and world record holders.

This is the first time the Laureus Awards have been held in Madrid and Spanish sporting legends Miguel Indurain and Raul will be among the Academy Members present on Monday, April 22 at the Palacio de Cibeles, one of the Spanish capital's most iconic buildings. The first list of confirmed attendees for this year's Awards focuses on the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy. Among those joining Nominees and sports stars as well as sports fans from fashion, film and entertainment are:

Football: Cafu, Alessandro Del Piero, Marcel Desailly, Ruud Gullit, Raul Athletics: Nawal El Moutawakel, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Michael Johnson, Edwin Moses, Tanni Grey-Thompson

Rugby: Sean Fitzpatrick (Chairman), Bryan Habana, Hugo Porta Skiing: Maria Hofl-Riesch, Franz Klammer, Alberto Tomba

Cycling: Fabian Cancellara, Miguel Indurain Tennis: Martina Navratilova Gymnastics: Nadia Comaneci, Li Xiaopeng Motor Cycling: Giacomo Agostini

Rowing: Steve Redgrave Squash: Nicol David Speed Skating: Yang Yang Hockey: Luciana Aymar Swimming: Daniel Dias Windsurfing: Robby Naish

Also, Laureus Ambassadors who are attending include Swedish football star Kosovare Asllani, who played for Real Madrid until 2022, and Sophia Florsch, the German motor racing driver who won the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award in 2020. More attendees will be announced shortly. Many of the biggest names from the world of sport, past and present, will be in Madrid to honour the greatest sportsmen, sportswomen and teams from 2023. Each of the winners will leave with a coveted Laureus Statuette, one of the most recognisable symbols of excellence in sport.

While celebrating the greatest sporting successes of the year, the award also showcases the work of Laureus Sport for Good, which uses the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and inequality, showing how sport can change the world. Today Laureus supports more than 300 programmes in over 50 countries, working to transform society and improve the lives of young people. Since its inception in 2000, Laureus Sport for Good has used the power of sport to improve the lives of more than six-and-a-half million children and young adults.

The impact of the awards is a key element to both the planning and delivery of the 2024 event. Working closely with both Host Partners, Madrid City Council and the Regional Government of Madrid, Laureus will bring the expertise and support of Laureus Sport for Good to leave a lasting legacy for the young people of the city and region of Madrid. The full list of Nominees is:

-LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Tennis - won three Grand Slams, finishing 2023 with a record-equalling 24

Mondo Duplantis (Sweden) Athletics - twice improved his own world pole vault record and won a second world title Erling Haaland (Norway) Football - his 52 goals spearheaded Manchester City's treble season

Noah Lyles (USA) Athletics - won the 100, 200 and 4 x 100 metres relay at the World Athletics Championships Lionel Messi (Argentina) Football - a record eighth Ballon d'Or and a record 44th trophy win

Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Motor Racing - completed a hat-trick of Formula One World Championships -LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

Aitana Bonmati (Spain) Football - won the World Cup, Champions League and Liga F - plus Ballon d'Or Feminin. Shericka Jackson (Jamaica) Athletics - won 200 metre gold at the World Championships

Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) Athletics - first woman to win 1,500 and 5,000 metre double at the World Championships Sha'Carri Richardson (USA) Athletics - golds in 100 and 4 x 100 metre relay

Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) Alpine Skiing - became the all-time leader in World Cup wins Iga Swiatek (Poland) Tennis - won in France and regained the World number one spot at WTA Finals

-LAUREUS WORLD TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD European Ryder Cup Team - Golf - regained trophy with a dominant display in Rome

Germany Men's Basketball Team - FIBA World Cup champions after shock wins over USA and Serbia Manchester City (UK) Football - Won a treble of Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League

Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula One Team (Austria) - second consecutive constructors' title after winning all but one race Springboks (South Africa) Rugby - winners of a record fourth World Cup

Spain Women's Football Team - FIFA World Cup 2023 winners after a game-changing tournament in Australia -LAUREUS WORLD BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR AWARD

Jude Bellingham (UK) Football - winner of Golden Boy Award for Real Madrid's new star Linda Caicedo (Colombia) Football - played in under-17, under-20 and senior World Cup in the same year

Coco Gauff (USA) Tennis - maiden Grand Slam title came in US Open, aged 19 Qin Haiyang (China) Swimming - swept the breaststroke events (50, 100 & 200 metres) at World Championships

Josh Kerr (UK) Athletics - stunned favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen to win 1,500-metre world title Salma Paralluelo (Spain) Football - FIFA Young Player Award winner for best young footballer at the World Cup

-LAUREUS WORLD COMEBACK OF THE YEAR AWARD Simone Biles (USA) Gymnastics - after a two-year absence, returned to win four World Championship golds

Sebastien Haller (Ivory Coast) Football - recovered from cancer diagnosis to return for Borussia Dortmund Katarina Johnson-Thompson (UK) Athletics - won heptathlon gold at the World Championships after multiple injuries

Siya Kolisi (South Africa) Rugby - came back from ACL tear to lead his country to World Cup glory Jamal Murray (Canada) Basketball - after 18 months out, won NBA Championship with Denver

Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic) Tennis - won Wimbledon as an unseeded player after a series of injuries -LAUREUS SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY AWARD

Simone Barlaam (Italy) Para Swimming - six golds at the Para Swimming World Championships Danylo Chufarov (Ukraine) Para Swimming - two world records, three golds at the Para Swimming World Championships

Diede de Groot (Netherlands) Wheelchair Tennis - third successive calendar Grand Slam in wheelchair tennis Luca Ekler (Hungary) Para Athletics - golds in 200 and 400 metres, plus long jump, at the Para Athletics World Championships

Nicole Murray (New Zealand) Para-Cycling - a champion on the road and the track in 2023 Markus Rehm (Germany) Para Athletics - a sixth world title and a 14th world record for the long jumper

-LAUREUS WORLD ACTION SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD Rayssa Leal (Brazil) Skateboarding - street golds at three major championships in 2023

Caroline Marks (USA) Surfing - first world title for emerging superstar Kirsten Neuschafer (South Africa) Sailing - the first woman to win a solo round-the-world race via three great capes

Bethany Shriever (UK) BMX - regained her world title in Glasgow Filipe Toledo (Brazil) Surfing - defended his world title in California

Arisa Trew (Australia) Skateboarding - 13-year-old became first skateboarder to land 720 in competition -LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD AWARD

Programmes nominated by a specialist selection panel; Laureus Academy select the winner Bola Pra Frente (Brazil) Multi-sport x Employability - using sport and education to increase opportunities for youth

Dancing Grounds (USA) Dancing x Social Integration - advocating for social justice through dance Fundacion Rafa Nadal (Spain) Tennis x Education - using sport in Mallorca and India to empower young people

ISF Cambodia Football x Education - breaking the cycle of poverty through the power of football Justice Desk Africa (South Africa) Multi-sport x Human Rights - empowering youth to defend their human rights through sport

Obiettivo Napoli (Italy) Multi-sport x Inclusion - developing social skills in young people experiencing exclusion and hardship. (ANI)

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