The 2015 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony is to be held in Shanghai.
The globally televised ceremony, attended by many leading figures of sport will be supported by textile and wool manufacturer HengYuanXiang Group and the Shanghai Municipal Government.
Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports more than 150 community sports projects in 34 countries, including China. Since its inception, Laureus has raised nearly £50 million for projects which have improved the lives of millions of young people through the use of sport.
Edwin Moses, the chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “I am delighted that the 2015 Laureus Awards will be held in Shanghai, an exhilarating and vibrant city. I have been to Shanghai many times, including visits with fellow Laureus Academy Members Sebastian Coe, Nadia Comaneci and Michael Johnson, and have always enjoyed its very special atmosphere. This is the first time the Awards have been held in China and this is an exciting new adventure for us.
“Laureus is much more than an Awards Ceremony, as important as that is. As our first Patron Nelson Mandela said ‘Sport has the power to change the world’ and it can change people’s lives for the better. We will be using the 2015 Awards to send that message from Shanghai around China and the world to show how sport can make a difference to the lives of every one of us.
“Laureus has been working in Shanghai for many years and now that we are working together I know this will give us the chance to expand our work here significantly. I have talked to many of my fellow Laureus Academy Members and they are all excited at the prospect of bringing the Awards to such an amazing city. I would like to thank the HengYuanXiang Group and the Shanghai Government for their support in making this possible.”
The exact date and venue for the 2015 Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony will be announced in due course. The winners of Laureus World Sports Awards are selected by the ultimate sports jury – the 46 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the living legends of sport honouring the greatest athletes of today.
This will be the 16th staging of the Laureus World Sports Awards. Among the sporting greats who have previously been named as winners of Laureus Awards over the last 15 years have been Usain Bolt, Sebastian Coe, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Alex Ferguson, Lewis Hamilton, Kelly Holmes, Yao Ming, Rafael Nadal, Pelé, Steve Redgrave, Ronaldo, Michael Schumacher, Kelly Slater, Shaun White, Serena Williams, Liu Xiang and Zinedine Zidane.
Members of the Laureus World Sports Academy volunteer their time to act as global ambassadors for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, whose mission is to use sport as the means to combat some of the world’s toughest social challenges facing young people today such as juvenile crime, gangs, HIV/AIDS, discrimination, social exclusion, landmines awareness and health problems such as obesity. Laureus currently supports a project operated by Special Olympics in Shanghai.
Laureus was founded by its Patrons Daimler and Richemont and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen.
For more information on the awards, and the ceremonies in Shanghai, visit www.laureus.com
- The SJA is the largest member organisation of sports media professionals in the world. Join us: Click here for more details
UPCOMING SJA EVENTS
Mon Sep 8: SJA Autumn Golf Day, Muswell Hill GC – non-members very welcome
Thu Dec 11: SJA British Sports Awards, sponsored by The National Lottery, at the Grand Connaught Rooms