Kapil, Waugh, Botham & Other Sports Legends to Attend Laureus Awards in Barcelona

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India , 2006-05-19

Cricket legends Kapil Dev, Steve Waugh and Ian Botham will join 29 luminaries from the world of sport to attend the 2006 Laureus World Sports Awards in Barcelona from May 20 to 22. The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports award honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year.

Twenty-nine other former sports stars including Seve Ballesteros, Boris Becker, Sergey Bubka, Bobby Charlton, Miguel Indurain, Michael Johnson, Nawal El Moutawakel, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Mark Spitz and Daley Thompson among others have also confirmed their presence.

Spain’s Fernando Alonso, Rafael Nadal and FC Barcelona have been nominated for the 2006 Laureus World Sports Awards. FC Barcelona players Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi have also received nominations, a recognition of the current strength of Spanish sport.

Double Olympic gold medallist Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “All the members of the Laureus Academy are very excited at the prospect of coming to such an amazing city. Barcelona is a superb location for the Awards and we are delighted to be going there.”

The categories for the awards are Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, Laureus World Team of the Year, Laureus World Newcomer of the Year & Laureus World Comeback of the Year. In addition, there are two Specialist Panels who select nominees for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability and the Laureus World Alternative Sportsperson of the Year.

Speaking on behalf of sponsors International Watch Company (IWC), Brand Manager Gianfranco D’Attis noted that every year Laureus presents the Laureus World Sports Awards to the best sportsmen and women from all over the globe and since 2005, IWC has been one of the driving forces behind Laureus, an organization established in 1999.

“Between them, the 42 Academy members account for over 100 Olympic medals, 100 world championship titles and 200 world records,” remarked Mr. D’Attis. “Our commitment to Laureus represents a unique chance for the company, as a manufacturer of top-quality luxury watches, to further build on our close affinity to sports stars of the past and present,” he stressed.

The names of the winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards will be revealed during a televised Awards Ceremony to be staged in Barcelona on the evening of Monday, May 22, 2006.

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