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The 2018 Laureus sportsman of the year award, which goes to the sportsman who best demonstrates supreme athletic performance and achievement, has gone to Roger Federer.
In his acceptance speech, Federer said it was an honour to receive the award, especially as the foundation does amazing work. He also said that the Laureus Foundation inspires and motivates him and his foundation, and maybe in future he would be better known for his philanthropic work than his tennis.
The awards were created by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which is a global organisation involved in more than 150 charity projects. One of the projects cleans the slums of the poorest parts of Nairobi, where 14,000 youngsters play in 90 football leagues.
There are several awards besides sportsman of the year, including team of the year, comeback of the year, breakthrough of the year, action sportsperson of the year, sportsperson of the year with a disability, and best sporting moment of the year.
Federer edged out great athletes Nadal, four-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, Tour de France champion Chris Froome, and Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo in the sportsman category.
The Swiss maestro also won the comeback award, which was his sixth Laureus award overall – the most ever for any sportsperson.
The world’s leading sports editors, writers, broadcasters, and select sporting legends vote on the awards in a secret ballot. This goes a long way in ensuring that the awards receive the legitimacy and respect they deserve.
For instance, the cricketers who are the voters are all legends such as Viv Richards, Ian Botham, Rahul Dravid, Steve Waugh and Sachin Tendulkar. Can there be better voters?
Federer has the most awards for sportsman of the year, with five – 2005-08 and 2018. Usain Bolt won four times, in 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2017, while Novak Djokovic has won thrice – 2012, 2015 and 2016.
Two-time winners include Tiger Woods – who won the first two awards, in 2000 and 2001 – and racing great Michael Schumacher who took it out 2002 and 2004.
Congrats Roger, it’s now five and counting. Or is it six and counting if we include the comeback award?
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