Dubai: Barcelona's Argentine star Lionel Messi has been nominated for the third year in a row for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award while his club also features among the nominees for Laureus World Team of the Year as the nominations were announced on Monday.
Czech tennis star Petra Kvitova and ‘Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius are both nominated in two categories - Kvitova for Sportswoman and Breakthrough, while athlete Pistorius qualifies for the Breakthrough and Disability Awards. Dutch wheelchair tennis legend Esther Vergeer, a winner of the Laureus Disability Award in 2002 and 2008, is nominated again.
The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement during the calendar year 2011, enjoys the status of sporting Oscars.
The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, is made up of 47 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, will be unveiled at a televised Awards Ceremony staged in London on February 6.
Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports 89 community sports projects around the world. Since its inception, Laureus has raised 40 million euros for projects which have improved the lives of more than one-and-a-half million young people.
When the winners of the 2012 Laureus Awards are revealed, Lionel Messi will be hoping to become the first team player in history to be named winner of the individual Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.
Also in that category are Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who won two gold medals in the World Athletics Championships, tennis No 1 Novak Djokovic, who won the Australian, Wimbledon and US Open Grand Slams, Australian cyclist Cadel Evans, winner of the Tour de France, and Germans Dirk Nowitzki, the first European to be voted Most Valuable Player in the NBA Finals, and Sebastian Vettel, who won his second straight Formula One World Championship.
Taiwan golfer Yani Tseng is nominated for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award after her phenomenal 2011, winning two Major Championships and heading the LPGA money list by more than $1 million.
Athletes Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya and American Carmelita Jeter are shortlisted after gold medal performances in the World Championships in Daegu, as are German skier Maria Höfl-Riesch, the Czech Republic's Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Japan's Homare Sawa, who won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot in the FIFA Women's World Cup which was won by Japan.
The Laureus World Team of the Year category looks one of the most competitive ever. The All Blacks' Rugby World Cup win and the stylish European Champions League victory by Barcelona will make them both strong contenders.
Also nominated are NBA winners Dallas Mavericks, world No 1 cricket team England, the Japan Women's Football Team and the Red Bull Formula One Team, winners of the World Constructors Championship for the second straight year.
Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman Edwin Moses said: "This has been a great year for sport and the Academy are going to find it extremely difficult to decide who to vote for as winners. We have had several massive performances in 2011 both by individuals and teams and that has been reflected in the Nominations. I congratulate all the Nominees and now we look forward to what should be a great Awards Ceremony in February in London."
Nominees for top awards
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
Usain Bolt (Jamaica) Athletics - two gold medals in World Athletics Championships in Daegu
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Tennis - won Australian, Wimbledon and US Open Grand Slams
Cadel Evans (Australia) Cycling - winner of the Tour de France
Lionel Messi (Argentina) Football - FC Barcelona's star player, scored 53 goals in 2010/11 season
Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) Basketball - first European to be named MVP at NBA Finals
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Motor Racing - won second straight F1 World Championship at 24
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) Athletics - won World Championship 5k & 10K and cross-country title
Maria Höfl-Riesch (Germany) Alpine Skiing - beat Lindsey Vonn to win overall World Cup
Carmelita Jeter (US) Athletics - won 100m and 4 x 100m relay gold medals in World Championships
Petra Kvitova (Czech) Tennis - won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon, plus WTA Championship
Homare Sawa (Japan) Football - won Golden Ball and Golden Boot in FIFA World Cup
Yani Tseng (Taiwan) Golf - at 22, won two golf Majors and headed LPGA money list by over $1 million
Laureus World Team of the Year
All Blacks (N.Zealand) Rugby - won 2011 Rugby World Cup in their own country
FC Barcelona (Spain) Football - won Champions League and Spanish League in 2010/11
Dallas Mavericks (US) Basketball - won their first ever NBA Championship
England Cricket Team - became world No 1 after Ashes win in Australia and beating India 4-0
Japan Women's Football Team - became first Asian team to win FIFA Women's World Cup
Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing - won second straight F1 Constructors World Championship
