Who's who at Laureus awards

Kuala Lumpur - Dutch football maestro Johan Cruyff and All Blacks legend Dan Carter are among the latest sporting greats to confirm attendance at the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards in Kuala Lumpur next week.

German actor Daniel Brühl, who could easily be mistaken as a sportsman following his brilliant portrayal of Niki Lauda in the film Rush, is the latest entertainment star to confirm attendance, along with Chinese supermodel and actress Du Juan.

Also present will be two of Malaysia’s greatest sports stars, seven-time world squash champion Nicol David and badminton world No 1 Lee Chong Wei.

The 15th Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement, are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar. The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, will be unveiled at a globally televised Awards Ceremony staged at Istana Budaya in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday, March 26.

Great Olympians such as Sebastian Coe, Michael Johnson and Mark Spitz, football giants Bobby Charlton, Marcel Desailly and Ruud Gullit and sports legends, including boxing’s Marvelous Marvin Hagler, rugby’s Sean Fitzpatrick and skateboard legend Tony Hawk, will be attending the prestigious event.

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch will host the Awards Ceremony and Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx will perform to the star-studded audience.

Among the Laureus Academy Members, Ambassadors, Nominees and Guests so far confirmed for Kuala Lumpur are:

Giacomo Agostini   
Marcel Desailly                  
Nico Hülkenberg          
Ilie Nastase
Vítor Baía               
Kapil Dev                          
Michael Johnson         
Alexey Nemov
Jamie Bestwick       
Mick Doohan                    
Franz Klammer           
Antonis Nikopolidis
Ronald de Boer       
Du Juan                            
Kip Keino                   
Sophie Pascoe
Daniel Brühl            
Paulo Ferreira                   
Michael Laudrup          
Patrick Peterson
Sergey Bubka         
Sean Fitzpatrick                
Lee Chong Wei           
Morné du Plessis
Fabio Capello          
Dawn Fraser                     
Tegla Loroupe              
Hugo Porta
Dan Carter                                 
Steve McManaman      
Bobby Charlton       
Stephanie Gilmore             
Marc Márquez             
Jimmy Spithill
Sebastian Coe        
Ruud Gullit                        
Gaizka Mendieta         
Mark Spitz
Nadia Comaneci     
Marvelous Marvin Hagler                      
Terrell Suggs
Johan Cruyff           
Tony Hawk                         
Edwin Moses              
Daley Thompson
Nicol David                  
Steve Waugh  

Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports more than 140 community sports projects in 34 countries. Since its inception, Laureus has raised over €60 million for projects which have improved the lives of millions of young people.

The full list of Nominees for the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards is:
 
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
Usain Bolt (Jamaica) Athletics; Mo Farah (UK) Athletics; LeBron James (US) Basketball; Rafael Nadal (Spain) Tennis; Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) Football; Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Motor Racing

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
Nadine Angerer (Germany) Football; Missy Franklin (US) Swimming; Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) Athletics; Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) Athletics; Tina Maze (Slovenia) Skiing; Serena Williams (US) Tennis

Laureus World Team of the Year
All Blacks (NZ) Rugby Union; Bayern Munich (Germany) Football; Brazil Men’s Football Team; Bob & Mike Bryan (US) Tennis; Miami Heat (US) Basketball; Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year
Afghanistan Cricket Team; Marc Márquez (Spain) Motor Cycling; Raphael Holzdeppe (Germany) Athletics; Nairo Quintana (Colombia) Cycling; Justin Rose (UK) Golf; Adam Scott (Australia) Golf
 
Laureus World Comeback of the Year
Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) Athletics; Rafael Nadal (Spain) Tennis; Oracle Team USA – Sailing; Tony Parker (France) Basketball; Ronaldinho (Brazil) Football; Tiger Woods (US) Golf

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
Marie Bochet (France) Skiing; Marcel Hug (Switzerland) Wheelchair Racing; Tatyana McFadden (US) Wheelchair Racing; Sophie Pascoe (NZ) Swimming; Sarah Louise Rung (Norway) Swimming; Olga Sviderska (Ukraine) Swimming

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year
Jamie Bestwick (UK) BMX; Bob Burnquist (Brazil) Skateboarding; Mick Fanning (Australia) Surfing; John John Florence (US) Surfing; Maya Gabeira (Brazil) Surfing; Shaun White (US) Snowboarding