- Laureus

2007 ISSUE 2 www.laureus.com
A SPECIAL ISSUE
EXTRAORDINARY
PEOPLE
Messages from the Laureus World Sports Academy
Boris Becker
ACADEMY
MEMBERS
Giacomo Agostini
Marcus Allen
Severiano Ballesteros
Franz Beckenbauer
Boris Becker
Peter Blake (in fond memory)
Ian Botham
Sergey Bubka
Bobby Charlton
Sebastian Coe
Nadia Comaneci
Marcel Desailly
Yaping Deng
Kapil Dev
David Douillet
Emerson Fittipaldi
Sean Fitzpatrick
Dawn Fraser
Tanni Grey-Thompson
Tony Hawk
Marvin Hagler
Mike Horn
Miguel Indurain
Michael Johnson
Michael Jordan
Kip Keino
Franz Klammer
Dan Marino
John McEnroe
Edwin Moses*
Nawal El Moutawakel
Robby Naish
Ilie Nastase
Martina Navratilova
Jack Nicklaus
Gary Player
Morné du Plessis
Hugo Porta
Vivian Richards
Bill Shoemaker (in fond
memory)
Monica Seles
Mark Spitz
Daley Thompson
Alberto Tomba
Steve Waugh
Katarina Witt
Yasuhiro Yamashita
* Chairman
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Edwin Moses
CHAIRPERSON
Different things make different people
stand out from the crowd. When it comes
to my colleagues in the Laureus World
Sports Academy there is no shortage of
superlatives that can be applied to their
amazing sporting achievements. They
were simply the best of the best when it
came their chosen sports. They were all
blessed with a talent, a drive and a spirit
that took them to the pinnacle of sporting
achievement. But what makes these
legends truly extraordinary people is their
desire to now give back to disadvantaged
communities. Using their sporting profiles
and personalities they all strive to raise
awareness for the work that is carried out
around the world by the Laureus Sport
for Good Foundation, helping children
from India to Germany to Argentina to
unlock their own amazing potential.
They once stood out from the crowd
through their sporting achievements, but
today the Academy stands out through
its achievements in social responsibility
programmes.
The Laureus World Sports Awards is
an event held every year to honour the
sportsmen and women who have achieved
supreme excellence in their chosen sport.
It is the dedication, determination
and passion of the winners and all
those present which correlates so well
to a forum that highlights the pervasive
effect sport has the world over. Just how
does an awards show attract viewers
numbering hundreds of million from nearly
every country? Of course the show, the
celebrities, the whole buzz around the
event has its attractions, but what people
really want to know is who is going to win
a Laureus. There are amazing sporting
achievements throughout the year,
moments that make us gasp and leap
from our seats. But who were the truly
Extraordinary People, who were those who
raised themselves and their performances
above those of everyone else? I applaud
the winners of each and every Laureus
Award because to rise above those
performances of your peers and stand out
truly is a great achievement. It is difficult
enough to rise to great heights but to
reach the top is truly extraordinary.
Nawal El Moutawakel
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Laureus surrounds itself with truly amazing
people: legends of sport, current sporting
stars, our forward-looking sponsors and
other friends of the movement. But it has
been in my work with the Laureus Sport for
Good Foundation where I have discovered
truly amazing people. A stolen moment
watching a child marvel at the simplicity of
a rolling ball or being able to run freely and
safely makes me realise that I have to look
no further to find Extraordinary People.
The children, who battle through their lives
just to enjoy moments the rest of us take
for granted, the project leaders who give so
much of themselves and their time – these
are the people who really stand out for
me. It is an honour for the members of the
Laureus World Sports Academy to be able
to share moments with these young people
and to appreciate life through their eyes. To
succeed is one thing, but to succeed against
the odds is something extraordinary.
Pictures for Good
A SPECIAL EDITION BOOK IS LAUNCHED BY A CYCLING LEGEND IN SPAIN
Spanish Tour de France
legend and Laureus
Academy member Miguel
Indurain joined wellknown businessmen at
the launch in Madrid
of a special edition of a
unique photography book
– ‘Let The Children Play’
– to raise funds for the
Laureus Sport for Good
Foundation. The book
contains powerful iconic
photographic images and
on-the-ground reports
from 10 Laureus Sport
for Good Foundation
projects. This initiative
was supported by IWC
Schaffhausen and diario
El Mundo.
Laureus World Sports Academy
members (centre, from left ) Steve
Waugh, Daley Thompson and Laureus
Sports for Good Foundation South
Africa Friend & Ambassador ‘Baby Jake’
Matlala (Right) Academy members
Morné du Plessis and Daley Thompson.
Visit inspires the future
ACADEMY MEMBERS TAKE PART IN JOHANNESBURG MARATHON
USA Fundraiser
FLORIDA EVENT BENEFITS LAUREUS PROJECT
In March, the Foundation’s Second Annual Celebrity
Golf and Tennis Invitational in the USA welcomed a
pantheon of sports legends and commentators from
the world of tennis, baseball, football and Olympic
sports to The Westin Diplomat Country Club in Florida.
The weekend’s festivities included the Stanford
Celebrity Tennis Pro-Am and The Laureus Celebrity
Golf Invitational. These events raised money for
CampInteractive.
Laureus World Sports Academy
members, legendary Australian
cricketer Steve Waugh and
two-time British Olympic
decathlon gold medal winner
Daley Thompson took part
in the fundraising Discovery
702 Walk the Talk marathon
in Johannesburg on 22 July
along with Morné du Plessis.
They were joined by fellow
South African Laureus Friends
& Ambassadors Deshun Deysel,
Baby Jake Matlala, John Moeti,
John Robbie and Cynthia
Tshaka. They also visited the
Laureus-supported ‘Fight
With Insight’ project, a boxing
project based in the southern
suburbs of Johannesburg
that helps young offenders to
make alternative and positive
decisions about their future and
their relationship with others.
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Celebrity match for Argentina
ANNUAL POLO MATCH IN THE UK SUPPORTS A NEW PROJECT IN BUENOS AIRES
World-renowned polo player Adolfo Cambiaso (right)
takes a shot during the IWC-Laureus Polo Cup.
A celebrity audience including Laureus Academy members Boris Becker, Martina Navratilova, Hugo Porta and
Daley Thompson watched Argentinian polo greats Adolfo Cambiaso, Eduardo Heguy, Lucas Monteverde and
Juan Martin Nero in the IWC-Laureus Polo Cup held at the Ham Polo Club, Surrey in the UK. Sponsored by
Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen, the event raised funds for Fundación Laureus Argentina, enabling
it to support a new project in Buenos Aires.
Laureus World Sports Academy member Morné du Plessis adresses participants.
Joining forces
RUGBY LEGENDS VISIT JOINT PROJECT EVENT
A joint project visit was organised in Macassar
outside Cape Town, South Africa, between the
Helderberg Partnership Project and Project Sozo.
With rugby legends Morné du Plessis and Hugo Porta
in attendance, children from the area participated
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in volleyball, soccer and athletics. Project Sozo aims
to combat the influence of gangs, particularly those
using and peddling drugs, by providing an alternative
source of stimulation for youngsters.
$100 000
raised for USA
Foundation
In the USA, the First Annual
All-Star Celebrity Polo
Challenge took place at the
International Polo Club in
Palm Beach in April. Celebrity
athletes, including Laureus
World Sports Academy
members Edwin Moses and
Monica Seles, joined forces
with polo stars to raise more
than US$100 000. Highlights
included the private viewing of
non-equestrian athletes taking
lessons from internationally
renowned high-goal players.
Chef-to-the-stars, Molly
Ahlstrand, and platinum
recording artist, Hilary Duff,
made and appearance and fivetime Grammy Award winner,
Jon Legend, also put on a
special performance.
Gary Paffett drives
in support of
Laureus
On 5 May, 63 000 spectators watched an action-packed racing weekend in the Motorsport Arena
Oschersleben, Germany. With his Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class, Briton Gary Paffett won the second DTM
race of the season after a one-year break. Paffett is also a test driver for the McLaren-Mercedes Formula
One Team. At the end of the season, Paffett’s Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class car will be auctioned to raise
funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The Laureus branded car races in favour of the Foundation
and is therefore a unique appearance on the DTM circuits.
Let the
games
begin
Swiss launch
National Foundation
ANOTHER COUNTRY
JOINS THE
LAUREUS FAMILY
Switzerland has now joined the Laureus family. Laureus World
Sports Academy Chairman Edwin Moses (right), Vice-Chairman Boris
Becker (centre) and Academy member Illie Nastase, were present
in Geneva to celebrate the launch of the Laureus Foundation
Switzerland. Laureus Switzerland is the eighth National Laureus
Foundation, along with Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, South
Africa, Spain and the United States. The Foundation has already
announced its support for three projects.
SPAIN HAS LARGEST
DELEGATION AT THE
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Fundación Laureus España is
supporting the participation
of the Spanish Special
Olympics delegation in the
World Games in Shanghai
as well as the preparatory
tournaments and events in
the lead-up to the event.
Thanks to their support and
that of the Invest for Children
Foundation, the Spanish
delegation of 85 athletes will
be the largest at the Special
Olympics World Summer
Games in October.
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Left: (Above) A woman scavenges through garbage to re-cycle scrap which
earns her between $1-$3 a day. (Below) Mine-awareness campaigns focus on the
dangers of unexploded anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. Opposite: Laureus
World Sports Academy members Sir Bobby Charlton (left) and Tony Hawk.
Cambodia
A PERSPECTIVE
BY EMMA CHESWORTH
T
hroughout the course of the
20th Century two figures became
associated with the embodiment of
evil – ‘Genocide’ - Adolf Hitler and, more
recently Pol Pot. The Nazi atrocities were
expunged over 60 years ago, whereas Pol
Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime continued as
a social and military force well into the
early 1990s. Even today, the legacy of Pol
Pot’s Marxist experiment is felt in every
aspect of life in Cambodia.
The callousness the Khmer Rouge
displayed towards their fellow countrymen
was shocking. The statistics of slaughter
horrendous. Coming to power in the mid1970’s the Khmer Rouge decreed 1976
‘Year Zero’ and Cambodia was renamed
Democratic Kampuchea. Overnight the
population was forced onto agricultural
cooperatives – towns and cities were to
be de-populated. Out of a population of
8 million, the Khmer Rouge slaughtered 3
million between 1975 and 1978.
The intervention of the Vietnamese
in 1979 pushed the Khmer Rouge forces
out of Phnom Penh and towards the Thai
border. The Khmer Rouge’s brutal regime
was not finished though and they fought
counter offensives for the next decade.
They ensured the jungles on the Thai
border were a ‘no go’ area – now one of
the most densely land-mined regions in
the world. Stepping into the aftermath of
such carnage in a country which had yet to
deal with its legacy was not a comforting
feeling. What sort of life do the modern
Cambodians have today, who lived through
the killing fields era? How much had the
turmoil of the 1970’s and 1980’s effected
the post-Khmer Rouge generation of
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Cambodians? My daily blog follows.
Sunday 22 July
15 hours in cattle class from London
– Singapore – Phnom Pehn and I am glad
to be on terra ferma again.
A familiar voice greets us at arrivals.
Scotty Lee, the Founder and Director of
‘Spirit of Soccer’ appears through the sea
of faces. The first thing that hits you is
the heat and humidity, the second is the
traffic. As Matt, Laureus’ TV Production
Manager, accurately put it, ‘there is a
severe lack of lane discipline’. Cars, tuk
tuks, bicycles, scooters with up to 5
passengers, and a single elephant all seem
to come at you from every direction. We
stop at traffic lights, relax for a second
and watch the neon lights count down the
digital seconds 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – and we’re off!
We are armed with bottled water,
antibacterial hand gel and 10-hour
mosquito spray. The quality of medical
care in Cambodia is basic and I’m under
strict instructions not to drink the water,
disinfect any cuts, not let myself become
dehydrated and to take malaria tablets.
We meet up with the rest of the Laureus
team at the hotel. It’s a haven of peace with
a wonderful view of the Tonle Sap river – a
retreat from the shocking and disturbing
images that we are to encounter.
Monday 23 July
6am and Matt and Rob, our camerman,
are in a tuk-tuk to film some of Phnom
Penh’s familiar sights. These include
the Royal Palace, the Independence
monument built in 1985 following the
country’s independence from France and
the Russian market where one can buy
anything from clothing, silver, carvings, dry
salted fish, dragon fruit and DVDs.
We check out the Olympic Stadium the
proposed venue for our Thursday press
conference. After heavy rain the pitch
is too wet and we switch venues. Tony
Hawk, a skate boarding legend and one
of the two Laureus Academy members
joining us on the trip, shows off his skills
and uses the venue as a playground
– jumping off the concrete steps and
walkways of the stadium – wearing no
padding or helmet!
I next accompany Tony and his wife
Lhotse to the rubbish dump at Stung
Meanchey. This was one of the saddest
and most disturbing sights that I have
ever seen. 100 acres of garbage is home to
over 200 families who scavenge through
900 tons of rubbish which is dumped
daily. They aim to collect recyclable scraps
from which they make $1 to $3 a day.
Many of these children are orphans who
have lost their parents to Aids, landmines,
drugs, prostitution or the killing fields of
the Pol Pot regime. Wearing thick, black
Wellington boots we wade across the
dump watching out for ‘sink holes’, where
the garbage has turned to liquid mud. The
air is hot and we breathe toxic gasses from
the smouldering trash. It leaves a taste in
your mouth and a smell in your hair and
clothes that remain after washing.
One glimmer of hope in this living
hell is a man called Scott Neeson. Scott
saw the atrocities at the dump and
made a decision to quit his film career in
Hollywood, and its many trappings, and
set up the Cambodian Children’s Fund.
This school runs an education programme
that provides children with a skill and sets
them up for a better future. It provides
accommodation, food and a caring
environment. After the visit to the dump
we drive to this school of 240 children. We
are introduced to them, all known by name
and personality to Scott. It’s no wonder
that when we were at the dump they all
run up to him begging to be given the
opportunity to study.
www.cambodiachildrensfund.org
Tuesday 24 July
The arrival of Sir Bobby Charlton in
Cambodia is big news. I go ‘airside’ to meet
him and our Foundation Director, Ned
Wills, directly off the plane. Bobby is the
ultimate old-fashioned sporting legend,
a true gentleman and although mobbed
by the press, takes it all in his stride and
acknowledges their warm welcome.
After a quick itinerary briefing we set
off by convoy to the Genocide Museum,
‘Tuol Sleng’ or S-21. From 1975 to 1978
the Khmer Rouge converted the former
high school into a prison. The prison was
enclosed by two layers of corrugated
iron sheeting and covered with dense
barbed wire, to prevent anyone from
escaping. Houses inside were used as
administration, interrogation and torture
rooms. Before being placed in the cells
prisoners were photographed and detailed
biographies compiled to the date of their
arrest. With horror I walked through
room after room filled with portraits of
young and old, faces gaunt and troubled.
We saw small cells with iron beds and
torture instruments with chains that
kept the prisoners shackled to the walls
or concrete floors. I am shocked that
S-21 was established only 32 years ago –
within my lifetime – and that over 10 499
prisoners were held here. We retreat to a
The dirt tracks are bumpy and we hold
on tight, admiring the lush scenery of rice
paddies and vast flood plains dotted with
water buffalo. It’s hard to imagine that
this beautiful countryside is littered with
landmines.
Children from the ‘Spirit of Soccer’
project, supported by Laureus, are waiting
for us on a playing field. Bobby is quick
to interact with the children. He belies his
69 years and becomes lithe and athletic,
bouncing from one foot to the other.
Three little girls soon engage me in a
game of footie. We laugh and giggle as I
splatter through the mud in my flip flops.
Through this innovative method of football
and games, boys and girls learn about
mines and unexploded ordinance and how
to identify them. At the end of the training
session children sit together and are shown
posters indicating what to do if they spot
a landmine. They watch attentively and
are proud of knowing the drill, responding
enthusiastically in chorus with the answers.
These mine-risk lessons are potentially
life-saving. Many victims are women and
children still living in heavily mined areas.
They can step on a mine while
gathering firewood, farming or
tending cows, often resulting
in the loss of limbs. There are
about 6 million landmines in
Cambodia today and for every
250 people, one is a landmine
victim.
Bobby hands out
Manchester United badges
to the happy children. We
head off to the MAG demining site. Since 1992,
MAG has provided clearance
small café opposite the museum
It is through and conflict recovery across
– I’m in need of a strong drink.
of Cambodia. This has
an innovative much
benefited some half a million
method using people who are now able to
Wednesday 25 July
football and safely farm, access water and
5.30am sharp and we’re off to the
airport. We board a small 15-seater games, that send their children to school.
chartered plane. There’s a relaxed
the boys and Around 6.2 million square
atmosphere as we head off on a
of land has been made
girls learn metres
one-hour flight to Batambang,
safe, uncovering almost 8 000
about the anti-personnel and anti-tank
Northern Cambodia. Several 4dangers of mines and 34 000 items of
wheel drive’s and a police escort
await us. Our time schedule is
mines and unexploded ordinance.
tight and there is bad weather
We huddle in a tent and are
unexploded
forecast for the afternoon. If we
given a military briefing on the
ordinance workings of the de-mining site.
don’t make it the rain will flood
and
how to Mosquito’s buzz around us. I
the roads we’ll be unable to make
identify them. hadn’t taken my malaria tablets
the return journey.
as a half-day trip in mosquito territory
didn’t seem to warrant the sickness that
I had experienced in the past from the
tablets. I reduce the risk by wearing long
trousers and sleeves. We are soon kitted
up in our protective gear – helmets and
body protectors. It is stiflingly hot and my
clothes start to feel damp. Staff clearing
the area work a 6 hour day and their work
is painstakingly slow in the heat. First, a
metal detector scans the area. If deemed
clear, two pieces of string on either side
of the track are untwined forward to
indicate the safe area. Word gets back that
two mines have been found underneath
a nearby tree. Mines were often planted
under trees as it’s common for people to
seek shade from the midday sun under
them. Tony Hawk is assigned the task of
pushing the button to detonate the mines.
An explosion is heard and a thick puff
of smoke is seen in the distance. Nature
calls and I am directed down a narrow path
at the end of which is a blue tarpaulin
acting as a shield – yes, it’s pretty primitive
out here. Hot and sweaty we pile back into
the trucks and head back to the plane. We
are quieter on the way back – a lot has
been digested in a small space of time.
Thursday 26 July
Our last working day, we leave early for
a press conference on the outskirts of
Phnom Penh. Bobby coaches children in
penalty kicks and Tony takes the position
of goal keeper to the delight of the
children who manage to wing one passed
him. The small room where we hold the
conference is soon filled with about 50
people including journalists, film crews and
football coaches. We show a video of the
work of the Foundation after which Bobby,
Tony and Scottie talk about their personal
experiences, rounded off by a Q&A
session. In order to help support Laureus
projects it is important that visits increase
awareness and highlight the Foundation’s
work which is accomplished through local
and international media coverage.
My trip to Cambodia connected the
work we do in London with the grassroots
hands-on work of a project. No longer
was I just linked in via phone, e-mail and
meetings, instead I was able to see firsthand the extraordinary and positive impact
our work can have on a community that
has, and continues to, suffer extraordinary
hardships and deprivations.
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Laureus World Sports Academy member Marvin Hagler
with students of the Courir pour la Vie project in Morocco.
Opposite: (Above) Young girls from the project play a
game of rugby. (Below) Academy members, from left,
Marvin Hagler, Nawal El Moutawakel and Daley Thompson
play traditional music.
Running for Life and Freedom
THREE ACADEMY MEMBERS VISIT MOROCCO TO LEARN A THING OR TWO ON A SPORTS FIELD
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N
othing quite like it had ever been
seen in Morocco before. One of
the greatest boxers of all time
and a double Olympic gold medallist were
being given the runaround on a sports
field by a group of young teenage girls.
Laureus World Sports Academy
members ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler and
Daley Thompson were visiting the Courir
pour la Vie (Run For Life) project near
Casablanca and were invited to join the
girls for a touch-rugby match. The girls
displayed speed and ball skills which left
the sports legends bemused.
Then, thinking they might fare better
at a power sport, they joined in a tug
of war, with former world middleweight
champion Hagler on one team and
decathlon legend Thompson on the
other. Somewhere in the middle was
Morocco’s greatest sportswoman, Nawal
El Moutawakel, hanging on with all her
might, her feet literally off the ground.
The youngsters shrieked with delight.
Fun is an important element at Courir
pour la Vie, but there is a much more
serious purpose behind the fun and
games. Although in many ways Morocco
is a modern 21st-century country, there
are still rural areas where there is a very
traditional attitude to the role of women.
The minimum legal age for marriage
for girls in Morocco has recently been
raised to 18, in the hope that it will allow
more girls to continue education longer.
However, while this may be having an
impact in large cities, in rural areas
change is happening much more slowly.
They still have less opportunity to go to
school than boys and are sometimes left
helpless at the lack of control they have
over their own lives.
The project, which is supported by the
Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, is a
programme that focuses on promoting
and developing sports activity among
teenage girls in rural areas, enabling
them to increase their confidence and
independence. It equips them to fight
against gender inequality by enabling
them to continue their education rather
than follow the traditional pattern of
leaving school early for an arranged
marriage.
Much of the credit for the creation of
the project goes to El Moutawakel, Vice
Chairperson of the Laureus Academy and
an influential figure in sport in Morocco
and in the Olympic Movement. El
Moutawakel became the first Moroccan,
African and Muslim woman to win an
Olympic gold medal when she won the
400 metres hurdles gold medal in Los
Angeles in 1984, and she has championed
women’s rights in Morocco ever since.
She said: ‘While there has been great
progress in Morocco to improve women’s
rights, there is still a lot of work to do
and projects such as Courir pour la Vie
are critically important in addressing the
problem where it can do the most good
- with young girls at school. If we can
break the mold that inhibits so many
young people, we can make a profound
change both in my country and around
the world. I am especially pleased that my
Laureus Academy colleagues ‘Marvelous’
Marvin Hagler and Daley Thompson were
able to come to Morocco to see the work
that is being done and to offer their
support.’
To get to the Imam Muslim School in
Ben Abid, Dar Bouazza, El Moutawakel,
Thompson and Hagler drove for 45
minutes from Casablanca. The further
you go, the more dusty and bumpy the
road gets. Official directions to the school
simply said ‘turn off the main road at a
quarry’. That road is an unsignposted dirt
road that winds through a village with
young children and chickens running
around and eventually brings you to
a bright white and red schoolhouse
surrounded by a village of small shacks
and houses.
As the Academy members walked into
the school buildings there was Moroccan
music being played and children signing
and dancing – they were so happy to
see their visitors. Many of the children
had put on displays of their art work and
there was an exhibition of jewellery and
cooking. El Moutawakel, Thompson and
Hagler resembled the Pied Piper – with
everyone following them as they looked
around the school and at the children’s
work.
A few of the locals were cooking lunch
and the smell of delicious Moroccan
spices lingered in the air. On the sports
ground, where they had set up traditional
Moroccan tents, a group of young boys
and girls were playing musical instruments
and drums and singing and dancing.
The Academy members joined in and
everyone had fun.
Basketball is one the sports that the
young girls from the project are learning
to play and a couple of them showed off
their newly acquired skills. Thompson
and Hagler participated. They enjoyed
themselves so much they had to be
dragged off the basketball court for the
formal proceedings of the day.
The arrival of the three famous
sportsmen and women had generated a
lot of interest in the Moroccan media so
there were many journalists present to
find out about the project. After a press
conference, the children put up some
entertainment for the guests, including
dancing, and martial-arts and first-aid
displays. El Moutawakel persuaded
Thompson and Hagler to come onto the
‘stage’ (just a few mats on gravel) where
Thompson danced with some watercarrying girls, while Hagler was ‘saved’ by
the first aiders and then ‘boxed’ with one
of the girls from the martial arts display.
The Academy members also met
teachers from the project and wished
several girls from the project well as they
were to run in the world-famous Courir
Pour Le Plaisir (Run For Fun) Women’s
Race in Casablanca – founded by El
Moutawakel – one of the biggest female
sporting events in the world and which
took place two days later.
The events in Ben Abid made a
profound impression on the Academy
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members. Thompson said: ‘Young
children, boys and girls, should have the
same equal opportunity in life. This is
a perfect example of how sport can be
used as the means to break down barriers
and help give youngsters a real chance
to improve their situation. I also enjoyed
being present at the Courir Pour Le Plaisir
Women’s Race. This is a fantastic event
which has played a significant part in
changing perceptions in Morocco about
the role of women in society.’
Hagler, who is the newest member
of the Academy, having been elected
at the Laureus World Sports Awards
in Barcelona in April, added: ‘I am
delighted to be an Academy member
and I am looking forward to working
with so many legendary sport stars to
help underprivileged young people. The
Laureus Sport for Good Foundation has
done incredible work over many years
and it was great to be able to come to
Morocco and see it for myself.’
The children’s excitement and zest for
life was a constant throughout the visit.
As El Moutawakel, Thompson and Hagler
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finally left to drive back to Casablanca on
the dusty road, they were surrounded by
youngsters singing, dancing and wanting
to say goodbye. It was an emotional
way to end what was an unforgettable
occasion for the Academy members, the
children, teachers and project leaders.
Clockwise: Members of Courir pour la
Vie at the Imam Muslim High School,
the venue of the project visit. Academy
members Marvin Hagler, Nawal El
Moutawakel and Daley Thompson
take part in a tug-of-war competition.
Marvin Hagler plays a round of
basketball with project participants.
Q&A
What is it about your association
with the Laureus Sport for Good
Foundation that you love most?
Part of it is the wonderful people
who are involved. It doesn’t matter
that we come form so many different
backgrounds, live in different places and
played such a wide variety of sport. We
are all passionate about what sport can
do for young people. I think that we
all recognise that sport has given us so
much and that is why we want to give
something back.
What drew you to sport and did you
have the support of your family?
My family encouraged me to do sport,
partly because I think it calmed me down,
and because they also saw how much I
loved doing it. It started off as a way of
keeping fit, and then when they realised
I wanted to go on, they encouraged me
to do more sports, and see which ones I
really loved. I remember being on a track
on a very cold and wet day in October,
and my mum asked, ‘Do you really want
to do this?’ and I said ‘yes’. She never
asked me again. She told me later that
she didn’t know whether I would be any
good (I was about 15), but the fact that I
loved it was enough for her to help me.
Who were your real-life heroes,
the people. who inspired you as a
youngster?
Chris Hallam – a fellow Welsh wheelchair
athlete. He won one of the first London
marathons that I watched on TV and I
remember thinking that one day I was
going to do that. And Gareth Edwards,
the Welsh rugby player – he did it with
so much style and grace and made it
look easy.
There have been so many highlights
in your career. Which one was your
ultimate?
Winning the 100m in Athens. I had had a
tough time up to that point – I had lost
DAME TANNI GREY-THOMPSON
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS ACADEMY MEMBER
BRITISH DOUBLE PARALYMPIC CHAMPION
the 800m badly and didn’t know what
had gone wrong, apart from just racing
badly! I was so relieved to win the 100m
and it was probably one of the best
races of my life.
Tanni Grey-Thompson
wins the Womens 800m
final at the Sydney 2000
Paralympics. Below:
Tanni with her daughter
Carys, during the Athens
2004 Paralympics.
What keeps you motivated? Any
‘tricks of the trade’ you could pass
on?
Love what you do. To be the best, you
have to love it, because you have to
spend a lot of time training! Always be
the best you can, too – you are only
cheating yourself if you don’t give
everything you have.
If you could give one piece of advice
to young people – whatever their
background or situation – what
would it be?
Work hard. If you believe in something
then do all you can to get there.
Sometimes it is easy for people to tell
you that you can’t do it. That is mostly
because they fear the young person not
doing well. You learn so much about
yourself by trying different things. You
learn from losing and putting yourself in
challenging positions. There is no failure
in trying your best.
Now that you’ve retired from
competitive sport, what are your
plans?
I coach a young athlete who is aiming
for Beijing and 2012. I also help 16 young
athletes who are sponsored by Visa. I am
their mentor (with Sir Steve Redgrave)
and it is our job to offer help and advice
in the lead up to the Olympics. They are
a great group of young people who are
involved in a range of sport, but they all
work so hard.
What is your motto?
Aim high even if you hit a cabbage.
Laureus World Sports Academy
member Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson,
Britain’s greatest ever Paralympic
athlete, announced her retirement on
28 February 2007 after a career which
brought her 11 gold medals, 3 silver
and a bronze, and established her as
one of the most gifted and courageous
sportswomen of her generation.
The 37-year-old wheelchair athlete,
who was born with spina bifida, has
competed at five Paralympics, winning
at distances ranging from 100 metres
to the marathon. She also won the
wheelchair race in the London Marathon
six times, including the 2002 race just
three months after giving birth to
daughter Carys. In a star-studded career,
her greatest achievements were in the
Barcelona Paralympics of 1992 where
she hit the headlines with quadruple
gold medals in the 100, 200, 400 and
800 metres, a remarkable feat which she
repeated in Sydney in 2000.
11
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PHOTO ESSAY
Let the Children Play
IMAGES FROM THE COFFEE-TABLE BOOK, PRODUCED BY IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN, THAT CELEBRATES TEN OF THE
FOUNDATION’S PROJECTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
A substantial sum of the proceeds from sales of the limited edition book will be donated to the Laureus Sport for
Good Foundation. Books can be purchased by visiting www.laureus.com.
Operation Breakthrough, Hong Kong, China
www.laureus.com
12
JUSTIN JIN
FAUSTO GIACCONE
SAMUELE PELLECHIA
Federazione Italiana Wheelchair Hockey, Italy
Kick on Ice, Berlin, Germany
13
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SAMUELE PELLECCHIA
Fight Back, New York, USA
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IVO SAGLIETTI
JAMES NACHTWEY
Meninos Do Morum, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Spirt of Soccer, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
PHOTO ESSAY
FERNANDO MOLERES
Grumet EXIT Project, Barcelona, Spain
15
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WHY I DO WHAT I DO
Judah came to our compound in the
Nakulabye slums in 2001. Judah was 17
years old, addicted to marijuana, and
reeking of Waragi, a strong local gin,
which immediately made him a figure of
laughter from his football-playing peers.
He wanted to play but could hardly
stay sober. The weekly sport gathering,
however, was a strong attraction for
Judah, drunk or sober. He then wanted
to try bicycle racing. ‘You are too weak
from drinking, you can’t ride a bicycle,’
he was told. But his desire to race was
strong and led him to cut back on drugs
and alcohol. With time, Judah registered
for the local district race. Although he
finished at the tail end of the race,
the fact that he finished at all was a
remarkable achievement. With increased
confidence, he entered into the COBAP
district Anti-AIDS race the following
year. He came in fourth. The constant
sporting activities and regular counselling
transformed Judah into a young man
admired by youth. He got a job, and
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16
stopped abusing alcohol and drugs. He is
now a responsible member of our society.
People like Judah are the reason I
do what I do in the slums of Nakulabye
outside Kampala in Uganda. Nakulabye
is a crowded slum, with kids playing in
the middle of the dirt roads. Disease
is rampant and HIV/Aids is wreaking
havoc among the youth. Drugs and
alcohol abuse, unemployment and lack
of marketable skills are some of the
problems young people face and poverty
is the order of the day.
Talent development is another reason
for doing what I do. Seeing COBAP
participants make the leap from obscurity
into the consciousness of national
sporting selectors is rewarding. Since the
project began I have had the privilege of
seeing athletes from the project represent
Uganda in international competitions.
More importantly it is the idea that even
the participants that do not make it to
the national teams – the ones that are
not as talented – still get the opportunity
BY RACHEL GUTTABINGI, PROJECT LEADER OF COBAP IN UGANDA
to participate and reap the benefits of
the project.
Our sports programme has
transformed young people in the
community. We now have over 2 000
youth participating directly in different
team activities such as football, netball,
boxing, volleyball, tennis, mind sports,
cycling and drama. It reaches over 5 000
youth throughout the district. Today,
counselling and teaching has perceptibly
reduced high-risk behaviours such as
prostitution and casual sex. Teenage
delinquency is down and more young
people see school as a relevant part of
life. Poverty is a tough issue to fight, but
cases like Judah’s and numerous others
bring hope. It is a challenging job, but
the smiles and laughter and renewed
self-assurance in the participants give me
reason to keep doing what I do. I do what
I do because I love seeing the difference
that the project has made in the quality
of life in the community. Judah’s
transformation didn’t happen overnight
and there are more Judahs we do not
reach, but it is always humbling to see
the ones we do. It is the hope to reach
the rest that keeps me going.
Above: (left) Rachel Guttabingi.
Above: (right) Drama, song and dance
help in reaching vulnerable youth and
educating them on the dangers of
HIV/Aids.
Q&A
PETE SAYERS
PROJECT LEADER
IT’S A GOAL!
Laureus World Sports Academy member Sir Bobby
Charlton shares a light-hearted moment with players
of the It’s a Goal! project at Old Trafford.
Which project do you work for and
what does it do?
I work for It’s a Goal! which helps young
men address their mental health issues
through the magic and power of football.
How long have you worked for the
project?
I have worked for the project since its’
inception in January 2004.
What is your role?
I am the Project Manager.
What is your background and how
has this helped in your work with
the project?
I am a trained psychiatric nurse and have
much experience in working with this
particular client group. I have also spent
many years working in therapy groups,
have a good understanding of local
health politics, am well known and (I
hope) respected in the local area, and
have a love and wide knowledge of
football.
What inspires you?
Triumph over adversity.
Is there one moment or story that
stands out for you during your work
with the project?
Working with someone who had a history
of hard drug use, and who turned their
life around on the programme, eventually
deciding for themselves to work in the
caring profession in an attempt to ‘give
something back’.
If there is one thing you could
achieve personally with the project
what would it be?
To place the project in as many football
grounds in the UK and around
the world as possible.
What differences have you seen in
the participants since you have been
involved with the project?
The young men who come to the project
have various diagnoses or problem areas
to address. One linking factor however
is that all seem to suffer from a distinct
lack of self-confidence and esteem. I
have seen the project at first hand begin
to help them to regain some hope and
belief that they can actually achieve their
dreams.
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ACADEMY MEMBER PROFILE
Laureus World Sports Academy member Sean
Fitzpatrick raises aloft the Bledisloe Cup after the
All Blacks victory against Australia, Auckland, New
Zealand, 1995. Opposite: (top) Sean visits the Right
to Play project in Sierra Leone.
www.l aureus.com
18
Sean Fitzpatrick
FEW PEOPLE IN WORLD SPORT, OR BUSINESS, HAVE AS IMPRESSIVE A LEADERSHIP
RECORD AS LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS ACADEMY LEGEND SEAN FITZPATRICK
T
The All Black principles
for success
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Never take your place
for granted
Never believe you
know it all
Judge yourself only
against the world’s best
he tough New Zealander, who at
the height of his rugby powers
epitomised the very meaning
of resilience, competitiveness and
winning, became one of the greatest
ever captains of sport. The most capped
All Black of all time, Fitzpatrick was also
their record-breaking captain, leading
the world’s most feared rugby team in 51
of his 92 tests.
Himself the son of an All Black
captain, one would think that the
blood in Fitzpatrick’s veins is All Black,
yet he never took his place for granted,
and throughout his career he also
came to understand and develop the
essence of teamwork as essential to
performance.
‘The All Blacks have created a
team spirit that has lasted through
generations,’ he says.‘ For a New
Zealander – and for many rugby
players around the world of any
nationality – to be an All Black
is an ultimate achievement. That
achievement is perpetuated through
the ethos of the team, which is always
greater than any one player in it.’
Fitzpatrick shares many of these
insights with business leaders as a
lecturer and motivational speaker. He
also expands on a number of basic
principles that have been encapsulated
in the famous All Black Book that is
given to each new player. The book,
and mentorship by a more experienced
player, ensures those principles are
understood, lived and breathed.
‘‘When you become an All Black
you are inducted into the culture of
the team and are told in no uncertain
terms what is expected of you. As a
New Zealander earning the All Black
jersey is one of the greatest honours
and you are very guarded with who
you swap that jersey with’.
The All Black team principles
that Fitzpatrick came to live, as he
worked his way down the team bus
and battled in the front row of the
All Black scrum, is a combination of
respect, humility, trust in team mates
and a demand for the highest levels of
performance.
‘To an All Black, winning is key,’
he says, ‘and winning isn’t just about
your own performance but allowing
and facilitating the performance of
others. If a guy dropped a ball then
we had cover for that. Players aren’t
encouraged to make mistakes but
if mistakes are made then he would
know that there would be an All Black
next to him to rectify it. Making the
same mistake twice is another matter.
In short, we knew we were part of
something bigger than any of us
or even all of us, and that is the All
Black legacy.’
Part of that legacy is also the
famous ‘haka’, the Maori war dance
that the current All Blacks perform
at the start of each match in the
face of the opposition. ‘The haka is
unique to the All Black culture and
the team,’ Fitzpatrick says. ‘Some
argue that it is not relevant to a
game of rugby, but they have never
stood in an All Black jersey and
performed it. It’s a defining act that
reinforces all of us as custodians of a
tradition that precedes us and goes
beyond our lifetimes.’
This year, the All Blacks will again
be chasing their Holy Grail, the
Rugby World Cup, which has eluded
them since their inaugural win in
1987. Asked if this team can win the
trophy again 20 years later, its longest
serving captain said ‘there are more
expectations on this team for the sole
reason that they are the first All Black
team to prepare for a World Cup three
years in advance. And having said this,
the team is rated number one in the
world, and there is no reason in my
eyes that they can’t fulfil a dream that
not only they desire, but also that of 4
million New Zealanders’.
The All Blacks ‘Haka’
Harness the fear of failure
Have the best attitude –
work hard
Be as successful as
you can be
The All Black legacy is
more intimidating than the
opposition
Ka mate, ka mate
(I may die, I may die)
Ka ora, ka ora
(I may live, I may live)
Whiti te rä, hï !
(The sun shines!)
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www.laureus.com
Marvelous Marvin Hagler
As the latest legend to join the Laureus
Academy, Marvelous Marvin Hagler is
no stranger to Laureus. He has been a
supporter of the Laureus Sport for Good
Foundation for many years. Marvelous
reports that being part of the Laureus
family and being able to help others is
an honor.
The Boxing Hall of Famer is no
stranger to supporting good causes.
The Marvelous one has always
believed in the power of education.
His scholarship fund, which been
active for the last 25 years, has
assisted many students toward a
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20
college degree up to date.
In the middleweight division
Marvelous Marvin Hagler has been and
always will be considered one of the best
fighters in the world. Hagler vs Hearns
will be remembered as the best three
rounds in the history of the boxing.
Boxing fans, writers, and historians
agree that Hagler was one of the most
complete and toughest fighters of all
time. He always displayed the heart of
a champion, as well as the best training,
best technique, and best preparation.
He left boxing boots which are yet to
be filled.
Laureus World Sports Academy
member Marvin Hagler in his heyday.
Below: Marvin’s new challenge
– inspiring the youth.
ANGIE CARLINO
ONE OF THE TOUGHEST FIGHTERS OF ALL TIME PUTS HIS HEART INTO THE LAUREUS FAMILY
Q&A
Q&A
SNEH GUPTA
PROJECT DIRECTOR OF SKSN-IMAGE PROGRAMME
INDIA
Which project do you work for and
what does it do?
The project is called SKSN and the
programme is Image. It stands for
Indian Mixed Ability Group Events. The
project serves to redefine ability and
thereby create an integrated society
where the disabled have general
acceptance into mainstream society,
and are able to fully participate at all
levels. And we achieve this by using
sport as the tool.
How long have you worked for the
project?
Since it’s inception in February 2004.
What is your role?
Project Director.
What is your background and how
has this helped in your work with
the project?
I am a TV producer by profession,
but I have been working with SKSN
– a boarding school for physically
challenged children – since 1996. This
has given me a deep understanding of
what a physically challenged person’s
life is all about in India. Image was born
out of my work with the SKSN student
population. I saw them being ridiculed
and cast aside by the able-bodied
world despite the fact that the SKSN
challenged students are sometimes
more able than the able-bodied – as far
as ‘ability’ is concerned.
What inspires you?
The objectives and goals of the Image
project turning into a reality, and seeing
friendships blossoming between two
estranged communities – the disabled
and the able-bodied.
Is there one moment/story that
stands out for you during your
work with the project?
It is best described in the words of
Mohammed Sikander, an able-bodied
student: ‘I joined Image to see how
the disabled person can play or study. I
have a 30-year-old cousin who has had
both legs affected by polio. Nobody
cares for him in his home, and they
treat him badly. He is called by his
nickname ‘langdoo’ (cripple) instead of
his actual name, which is Mohammed
Sharif. One day, when my cousin was on
his way to Jodhpur, he saw me playing
with my disabled friends during one of
the Image club meetings, and asked me
if he could be admitted there as well. I
replied that SKSN is not a hospital, but
a proper school like other schools where
children come to study. But just seeing
us all playing together, able-bodied
and disabled, made a huge impression
on him. Nowadays at home, he fights
for his rights by asking for good food,
good clothes and proper shoes. He’s
constantly quoting the Image club
meeting day as the example, where he
saw that there was no differentiation
being made between the able-bodied
and disabled communities.’
If there is one thing you could
achieve personally with the project
what would it be?
I would love to set up Image clubs all
over India and turn it into a national
movement.
What differences have you seen
in the participants since you have
been involved with the project?
The disabled Image members have
become less fearful of the able-bodied
world, and the able-bodied have started
treating the disabled as worthwhile
human beings.
Above: A child from the SKSN project
displays his agility at climbing.
21
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22
Roger Federer
Opposite: Roger Federer has won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
Award three times. Below: The Roger Federer Foundation supports deprived
children in the townships of South Africa. www.rogerfedererfoundation.org
ROGER KELLY EXPLORES THE EXTRAORDINARY CAREER OF A MAN WHO HAS THE WON LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD THREE TIMES
Greatness in sport is subjective. We use
the word ‘great’ easily, about a goal, a golf
shot, a cricket boundary, a slam dunk, a
slalom run. But the Laureus World Sports
Awards is one of the few valid measures of
true greatness in sport today. When 45 of
the most admired living legends of sport
single out an individual to receive a Laureus
Award, we’re talking blue chip. When that
happens three straight times, we’re talking
about someone extraordinary, even if the
modest Federer would never admit it.
In the last three years Federer has been
chosen by the Laureus Academy as World
Sportsman of the Year ahead of some of
the most talented names in sport – not
just of one year, but of all time – including
Fernando Alonso, Lance Armstrong,
Valentino Rossi, Michael Schumacher and
Tiger Woods.
Boris Becker spoke for the Academy
when he said: ‘This is the ultimate accolade
for a sportsman, and for Roger Federer to
win it three times in succession tells you
what an amazing tennis player he is. He is
collecting Grand Slam titles at a remarkable
rate. If he keeps his appetite for the sport,
he has an excellent chance to beat Pete
Sampras record of 14. Although he is not at
his best on clay, I would not be surprised
one day to see him win the French Open at
Roland Garros and hold all four Grand Slam
titles at the same time.’
What makes him so special? Before you
consider the man, consider the statistics:
11 Grand Slam singles titles by the age
of 25 – the record is 14, completed by
Pete Sampras in 2002 at the age of 31. 5
straight Wimbledon victories – matching
the achievement of Bjorn Borg. 3 straight
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
Awards – a unique exploit.
In the history of tennis, statistically,
Federer seems certain to become the most
dominant player ever. He celebrated his
26th birthday this August and, as long as
he stays fit and continues to play into his
early 30s, as did Sampras, he could easily
total over 20 Grand Slam singles titles.
Perhaps, as Boris Becker says, one day he
will even win the French Open which has so
far eluded him in nine attempts.
Of course it is not as simple as that.
Rafael Nadal, another Laureus Award
winner, showed at Wimbledon this year that
he is narrowing the gap on Federer, and
other challengers are certain to emerge.
Will they end Federer’s reign? Or will these
simply be the new playthings to keep the
champion hungry and interested.
At the time many of the most amazing
records are created, they look as if they will
never be beaten. Pete Sampras’s 14 Grand
Slam titles now looks the most vulnerable,
closely followed by Jack Nicklaus, whose
total of 18 major championships is
being stalked by Tiger Woods. Michael
Schumacher, with seven Formula One
world championships, has already left Juan
Manuel Fangio’s once formidable total of
five in his slipstream, and who is to say that
he in his turn will not one day be overtaken
by Fernando Alonso, still only 26, or Lewis
Hamilton now just 22.
The year 2004 saw Federer become
the dominant force in world tennis, a
soubriquet he has not lost yet. That was
the first year he won three Grand Slam
titles – the Australian Open, Wimbledon
and US Open – a feat he repeated in 2006.
As he received his first Laureus World
Sportsman of the Year Award in Estoril,
Federer told the audience: ‘It’s a big honour
for me to stand here. It’s a dream come
true. I’ve received many awards over the
years, but this one is the one I really wish
for. When you look at the other nominees,
they are all great athletes, and I look up
to them as well. This award means the
Federer is a man who understands his responsibilities and is
determined to waste no time in fulfilling what he sees as his
obligation to those less fortunate than him.
most to athletes because it is the Academy
members voting for you, and you know
I have many people who are my idols in
there, such as Boris Becker and Martina.’
But Federer said more. And this marked
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him out as a sportsman with a difference.
‘My dream has always been to one day
become the number one tennis player
in the world. Now I have achieved it,
of course I want to stay there as long
as I can. Receiving this award, I feel I
have responsibilities. This is one of the
reasons I founded my own Roger Federer
Foundation which supports children in
South Africa to have a better education,
so I try to give something back of my
own good fortune. I am very happy to
know that Laureus has similar vision with
the work of the Laureus Sport for Good
Foundation.’
Most sportsmen and women look
to give something back at the end of
their careers, but Federer is a man in a
hurry and a man who understands his
responsibilities and is determined to
waste no time in fulfilling what he sees
as his obligation to those less fortunate
than him.
The Roger Federer Foundation is a
charitable organisation which supports
innovative projects operated by local
relief organisations in selected countries
of the world – projects that would
otherwise lack sufficient funding. In
Switzerland, it supports talented children
who meet the requirements of the
official sports federations but lack the
necessary means. The Imbewu Community
Volunteers in the deprived township of
New Brighton in Port Elizabeth, South
Africa, is a scheme in which Swiss families
subsidise South African children. And
in Ethiopia, the Foundation supports
a project to improve the quality of
education in the Kore Roba Primary
Schools in Sululta District, 38 kilometres
north of Addis Ababa.
There is a natural parallel here with
the work of the Laureus Sport for
Good Foundation, whose mission is to
utilise the power of sport to address
social challenges through a worldwide
programme of sports-related community
development initiatives.
The Laureus Sport for Good
Foundation supports over 50 projects
worldwide and has improved the lives of
almost 150 000 children annually since its
inception through its global foundation
and a growing network of eight subsidiary
Foundations in Argentina, France,
Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain,
Switzerland and the United States.
Like Laureus, Federer has a vision
which he strives to realise. On his personal
website he says: ‘I have just noticed
that I have been starting to think about
my future more seriously these days.
My Foundation is definitely one of the
priorities in the future, especially during
the second half of my career. Before I
was focusing on what I needed to do to
become a better player; now I am thinking
more and more about what I want to and
can do after my days as an active athlete.’
This gives us the picture of a
remarkable man at ease with himself and
with his own perspective of past, present
and future – a worthy Laureus winner
indeed.
My dream has always been to one day become the number
one tennis player in the world. Now I have achieved it,
of course I want to stay there as long as I can...
Roger Federer celebrates victory at the men’s Singles Final of the
US Open 2007. Above: Roger with his girlfriend, Mirka Vavrinec
at the Laureus World Sports Awards 2006, Barcelona.
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24
WHY I DO WHAT I DO
‘If the youth of today are to take charge
of India’s tomorrow’ then we have to
channel our energies now, towards the
millions of children lost in the crowd, who
are at risk of gradually succumbing to the
social corruption and atrocities that are
prevalent in our communities.
‘Sport and play are essentially a child’s
right because they are one basic need
and something that I believe we have to
protect. I see this every day as I move
around Mumbai. What drives me to run
Magic Bus is the questioning look in the
eyes of the children I see on every street
corner and at every traffic signal in the
city, the look that says, “Why am I here?
Do I have a choice?”
‘We have to tap into the sea of
potential that is wasted on our streets
and make our children aware of their
own power to make a positive difference
– not only in their own lives but in
their community as well. Only then can
we make a sustainable difference. We
need to have unshakable faith that this
investment is a long-term one and will
only show the benefits as the children will
grow to become empowered youths and
take charge of the next generation,’ says
Alka Shesha.
Shesha has been with Magic Bus since
2000 when she joined the fledgling team
of Matthew Spacie, the organisation’s
founder, and Deval Sanghavi who had just
formed the organisation’s board. She now
heads Magic Bus Sport for Development
and a team of over 100 staff involved in
the delivery, monitoring and design of our
sport- and adventure-based programmes.
The sustainability mentioned above is
already manifest in the organisation
where over 25 of our young mentors who
deliver the programme are former Magic
Bus children.
‘At the end of a programme, if
you have given a young person the
opportunity to make a change in his own
life, you know that all the challenges
have been worth while. After a recent
camp where drug addicted youths spent
BY MATTHEW SPACIE ON ALKA SHESHA, PROJECT LEADER OF
MAGIC BUS IN INDIA
five days at our Centre for Learning
& Development one participant said
in a review of the high-ropes activity:
“I realized one thing while doing the
activity. In life I have left a lot of
opportunities. Now, if life gives me a
chance, I will not leave any opportunity.
I took mine today”. That day ‘Raja’ took
the huge step of giving up the drugs that
he had been taking for many years. It
was that moment for him. The look in his
eyes changed to self-belief and respect;
he doesn’t have questions anymore, but
answers and a desire to change,’
says Shesha.
Above: (left) Children of the Magic Bus
project. Above: (right) Mathew Spacie,
project leader of magic Bus. Right: The
slums of Mumbai do not deter a passion
for playing sport.
25
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www.laureus.com
26
Opposite: The overcrowded favelas of Rio de Janeiro are breeding grounds for serious crime
Fighting chance for those trying to
escape a life of crime
RICK BROADBENT REPORTS ON HOW LUKE DOWDNEY IS HOPING HIS BOXING PROJECT FROM ‘THE MEANEST STREETS
OF BRAZIL’ WILL TRANSFER WELL TO LONDON
I
t is easy to believe that modern sport
is a mishmash of the overpaid and
the overweening, sponsored Alice
bands and endorsed driving licences. It is
surface fluff in the scheme of things, but
then you talk to Luke Dowdney about
death and drug traffickers. Or a boy such
as Pedro, who says: ‘I had two aunts who
were pregnant at the same time. One of
them was murdered for violating a drug
code, but they got the wrong one so they
went back and got the other. This was
my world, but then there was the boxing
club.’
It was a decade ago when Dowdney
decided to set up a humble gym in
Complexo da Mare, one of the grimmest
favelas in Rio de Janeiro, divided into
territories by the three largest drug
gangs. An amateur boxer with a degree
in anthropology, he believed that the
sport could provide an alternative to a
life of guns and drugs and started with
a threadbare ring in a battle-scarred
building. Now he has an MBE and a
purpose-built base with turrets.
He does not like to highlight the
violence of the favelas because, he says,
it is two percent of people who affect the
lives of the rest and he knows that Brazil
is not unique. That is why he is bringing
his Fight For Peace model to London’s
meanest streets. ‘Boxing is essential
because there is the parallel that you
only get out what you put in,’ Dowdney
said. ‘Get in the ring without training
and you’re going to get beat. That’s an
important lesson.’
The club extends beyond boxing and
tries to rearm members with the tools
to get out of drug trafficking, but it
is the ring that is the epicentre of this
revolution. ‘The things they get from
drugs – identity, status – they now get
from boxing,’ Dowdney says.
Last year, he joined forces with Gerry
Storey, Barry McGuigan’s former trainer,
and visited the Holy Family gym in
Belfast with some of his boxers. Some
had never been out of the favela and the
culture shock was seismic. ‘They couldn’t
understand why anyone would fight
over religion,’ Dowdney says. ‘As far as
they’re concerned it’s about drugs. Then
they saw the murals with gunmen with
AK47s and said, ‘Ah, this is like home.’
‘ In Belfast, the Holy Family gym has
always welcomed republicans and loyalists
and Fight For Peace has also risen above
society’s schisms. Attending the gym is
the only reason the drug barons will allow
young men to cross enemy lines. ‘They
were very scared at first,’ Dowdney said.
‘And they were very brave because they
had never been able to cross the line
before. But sometimes the traffickers
send kids to us because they don’t want
them to do what they’re doing.’
When Dowdney puts on shows, the
traffickers lay down their weapons to
attend.
Londoners may think that this is
someone else’s problem, but Dowdney’s
research suggests that there has
been a marked rise in the levels of
‘lethal violence’ in the capital. He also
emphasises that there is less daily
aggression in the favela than in Oxford
Street. ‘People are much nicer to each
other in Mare, but guns are everywhere
and so when it turns nasty, it can be very
quick,’ he says.
How nasty was evident when I met
Dowdney four years ago. It was the day
that Rio’s drug lord, Luiz Fernando da
Costa – aka Freddy Seashore – declared
war on the state from his prison cell,
effectively shutting down the capital.
Dowdney had flown into São Paulo to try
to convince the Laureus Sports for Good
Foundation that he was worth backing.
Fifty-one policemen were killed in a day
as bounty hunters were offered $2 000 a
head. Now 96 percent of prisoners belong
to the PCC, an underground organisation
that grew from a prison football team,
while the military police often operate a
shoot-first policy. There are 3 600 murders
a year in Rio, 6 000 in the state and 40
000 in the country.
‘We’ve had six of our kids killed by
gunfire in the last four years,’ Dowdney
said. ‘Maybe it’s a stray bullet, mistaken
identity, maybe they’re involved in
drugs.’ It is no secret that summary
Youngsters at the Mare favela give a boxing and wrestling
display. Above: Luke Dowdney accepts the Laureus Sport for
Good Award 2007.
27
www.laureus.com
executions also take place in Rio;
two years ago, ten policemen
were implicated in the murders
of 29 people in what Amnesty
International called Rio’s worst
massacre.
Dowdney won Laureus’s backing
and Fight For Peace is a flagship
programme. He won the Academy’s
Sport for Good Award at a plush
ceremony in Barcelona this year and
is working closely with Emerson
Fittipaldi, an Academy member.
In São Paulo, the threat of kidnap
means that the Formula One
legend drives an armoured car with
bombproof glass, but he walks freely
in Mare and is fêted as a hero. ‘The
challenge is to make trafficking the
worst option,’ Dowdney says. Fight
www.laureus.com
28
For Peace also offers free access to
sport and education programmes.
‘Boxing is fundamental to everything
we do,’ Dowdney says. ‘It’s about
giving them confidence.’
He is a boxing nut, the 1995
British Universities light-middleweight champion, who fought as an
amateur in Nepal and Japan. Now
he has a Brazilian coaching licence
and is starry-eyed when he talks
of meeting people such as Marvin
Hagler and McGuigan.
Dowdney is adamant that Fight
For Peace can be transferred to
some of London’s worst areas, but
he accepts that it does not always
work. After we met in 2003, Pedro
excelled in the ring and was rising
through the Rio State Federation’s
ranks. Then he was shot in the back.
‘They had to break open his ribs to
get the bullet out,’ Dowdney says.
‘He’s lucky to be alive.’
Now Pedro is in prison for robbery
and Dowdney has moved to London,
working with the Community Links
charity and Ballymore property
company to recreate his success.
He has plans to take his model
to Jamaica, South Africa and
Colombia. To some, boxing is a
bloody anachronism, the most vile
and violent of sports. But Fight For
Peace provides a cast-iron case for
the defence.
– Originally published in The Times,
28 June 2007.
Luke Dowdney trains an aspiring boxer.
Below: Brazilian, Irish and English
boxers pose before the Laureus Fight for
Peace contest in Belfast, Ireland, 2006.
A DAY
IN THE
LIFE
FAST FACTS
Israel/Palestine:
Arabic Names
Adara: Beauty
Habib: Beloved one
Israt: Affection
Jaleel: Great, fine
Kamilah: Perfect one
Nassir: Protector
Qadir: Powerful
Sabirah: Patient
Selima: Peace
Tariq: Star, path
Zahir: Shining bright
Hebrew Names
Adam: Man
Ahava: Love
Elior: My God is light
Gilah: Joy, happiness
Hannah: Favour, grace
Herut: Freedom
Ilan: Tree
Lev: Heart
Nava: Beautiful
Rina: Joy
Yaron: Sing
>> GAL PELEG
DIRECTOR OF THE SPORTS DEPARTMENT THE PERES CENTER FOR PEACE ISRAEL/PALESTINE
The dream we all share at the Peres Center is
to achieve a sustainable peace in the region
through various projects which bring Palestinians
and Israelis together through socio-economic
cooperation and people-to-people interaction.
The Sports Department believes that the dreams
of children can be achieved through sport
– and many times, the dreams of children in the
conflict-ridden communities in which we work
can be as humble as having a new pair of sports
shoes, having the chance to be taught football
or basketball, or simply, the chance to forget for
a few hours about the harsh realities which they
face every day. Naturally, these dreams often
extend to meeting a revered sports star – and this
is something which the Sports Department works
hard to achieve. In the last two years alone the
youngsters have been privileged enough to have
the personal encouragement of Chelsea FC coach
Jose Mourinho, NY Giants running back Tiki Barber,
FC Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o, Brazilian soccer
prodigy Ronaldino, FC Portugal coach Luiz Felipe
Scolari and the Real Madrid FC first team.
In reality, bringing Palestinian and Israeli children
together on a regular basis is no easy feat, both
physically and emotionally. As the Director of the
Sports Department of the Peres Center for Peace, I
have to succeed in obtaining cross-border permits
for scores of Palestinian participants (adapting to
frustrating last-minute changes in plans which occur
due to checkpoint closures) as well as address the
delicate cultural and ideological balance of working
on both sides of the border with the help of its
Palestinian implementing partner, the Al Quds
Association. The constraints involved in bringing
2 000 young Palestinian and Israeli girls and boys
from both sides of the border together for peace
education and sport on a regular basis demands
energy, creativity, and most of all, patience and
understanding. Success in this mission often
involves working 12-hour days.
In one single week I oversee the implementation
of some 20 peace-building projects across 35 atrisk communities in the Palestinian Authority and
Israel (which involves liaising with hundreds of
participants, authorities, staff and coordinators)
identify ways of seeking and maintaining support
for these projects from local and international
sources, and, together with the Sports Department’s
young team of four, brainstorm ideas on new and
innovative ways to bring young Palestinian and
Israeli boys and girls together through football and
basketball. The most challenging aspect is keeping
these projects going, finding ways to constantly
expand and reach out to a growing number of
children and communities. One of the greatest
moments so far was organizing a summer camp
which gave refuge to 200 Palestinian and Israeli
children during last year’s Israel-Lebanon war. It
was amazing to see these children, who so easily
absorb the negative effects of dualism and conflict,
holding hands, laughing, playing together and
swapping one another’s Arabic and Hebrew names.
This is the moment that I realized that our dream
here at the Sports Department has come true.
Above: Palestinian and Israeli children
get acquainted through interactive
games. Below: Barcelona FC player,
Samuel Eto’o, (centre) attends an Israeli/
Palestinian soccer match organised by
the Peres Center for Peace with Israeli
President, Shimon Peres (right).
29
www.laureus.com
Gary Paffett stands triumphantly on the
Laureus-branded AMG Mercedes C-class
www.laureus.com
30
Q&A
What inspired you to become a
racing driver?
I guess the first thing was my family.
My father was very interested in motor
sports and used to race himself – as a
result I became involved in this great
sport.
What qualities are needed to
become successful in motor sports?
It is very important to be fast and
dedicated. Not just in a race, you need
to dedicate your whole life to this sport.
I don’t have time for anything else, but
that’s what it takes to be good.
How did your association with
Mercedes-Benz and the Laureus
Sport for Good Foundation come
about?
Well, I won the German Formula 3
Championship in 2002 and the week
after that I had first the chance to get
a glimpse of the DTM while testing for
Mercedes-Benz. And from than on I
have been a driver for Mercedes. This
year I returned to DTM to do racing
and Laureus wanted an experienced
driver to promote the Foundation. I am
delighted that the car is carrying the
Laureus logo. I applaud the work that
Laureus does for young people around
the world and I am delighted that in a
small way I am able to contribute.
Tell us more about your Laureus
AMG Mercedes C-Class you are
presently racing with.
My Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class is
very different, though it looks quite
similar to the Mercedes’ street car. It
is impressively fast, faster than any CClass you will ever find.
Motor sports racing puts a lot of
focus on the driver, rather than on
the team. How do you keep yourself
motivated?
Well of course it’s easier to motivate
GARY PAFFETT
BRITISH RACING DRIVER
AND MERCEDES-BENZ DTM DRIVER
yourself when you are winning and
sometimes it’s really hard for me to
motivate myself when my performance
hasn’t been that satisfying. The team
plays a really important role – they help
me to remember the good races so I
don’t lose confidence in myself, which
is very important.
had all the features you need to have
being a good driver: fast, focused and
determined.
What do you think of the quote
‘Sports do not build character. They
reveal it’?
It’s absolutely true. In some way,
motor sports develop a certain kind of
person, since you have to be able to
market yourself. Sooner or later your
true character will be revealed, as you
have to cope with so many different
emotions.
Racing is not just about the car,
what physical exercise prepares you
for a race?
You have to train as much as you can,
because the sport is physically very
demanding. I do a lot of work in the
gym for physical fitness, especially the
neck muscle (because of the G-forces)
and the upper body (for steering).
Furthermore, it’s very hot inside the
car so you have to be well prepared
for the race to be able to keep your
concentration.
When you’re not driving, what is
your favourite pastime?
I do a lot of things, but what I desire
most after a race is getting back to my
family and spending as much time with
them as possible. Apart from that I am
interested in many different kinds of
sports, such as golf and football.
Who were your role models growing
up?
There were many, but especially
Ayrton Senna was my role model when
I was younger. He was the man who
everybody wanted to be and who
The Laureus-branded AMG Mercedes C-Class is a unique feature at the DTM racing circuits.
Below: Gary Paffett after his victory in the DTM 2005 German Touring Car Championships.
Gary Paffett, 26 years old, was
awarded the prestigious ‘McLaren
Autosport Young Driver of the
Year Award’ in 1999. As a result of
winning the Award, Gary conducted
his first Formula One test with
Team McLaren Mercedes in 2000.
In 2003 Gary joined MercedesBenz in the DTM Championship
and went on to claim the title in
2005. After spending 2006 as Test
Driver for Team McLaren Mercedes
supporting Kimi Raikkonen, Juan
Pablo Montoya and Pedro de la
Rosa, Gary returned to the DTM
Championship in 2007. Driving his
Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class
which will be auctioned to raise
funds for the Laureus Sport for
Good Foundation at the end of
the season, Gary raced to his first
win of the season at Oschersleben,
Germany.
31
www.laureus.com
Extraordinary People
A TRIBUTE TO THE LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD PROJECT LEADERS BY DAVID BUTLER
‘The problem with the French is they
have no word for entrepreneur,’ US
President George W Bush is reputed to
have remarked to British Prime Minister
Tony Blair.
Be that as it may, this quote does
highlight the very real linguistic problem
for the scores of Laureus project leaders
throughout the world. They operate in
a highly entrepreneurial environment,
and what is missing is an encompassing
phrase or definition that could provide
them with a unifying identity. Not that
such a unique collective should be bound
by terminology, but a title – lending
a common identity – can lead to even
more meaning and more impact when
harnessed in the appropriate way.
I have always been greatly struck when
visiting project leaders in the field – and
I have travelled hundreds of thousands
of miles from the Andes to the slums of
Mumbai to do so – how their reaction
to other projects is always similar. These
unique social activists / business people
/ inspirers / entrepreneurs / life-savers /
coaches are nearly always surprised when
they hear stories and reports of activities
by like-minded individuals, doing likeminded things, with like-minded results
and impact in environments that bear
many of the same hallmarks of challenge,
oppression and huge odds to succeed.
The surprise is not based on an arrogance
that they think themselves unique, but
rather that they often think themselves to
be alone in doing what it is that they are
seeking to achieve: social change through
sport.
‘Entrepreneurship’ is a term (with its
roots in the French loan word, despite
rumours to the contrary) that was
introduced by Irish economist Richard
Cantillon in the early 18th century. A
dictionary definition of entrepreneur
reads: ‘the owner or manager of a
business enterprise who, by risk and
initiative, attempts to make profits.’
When one considers the extraordinary
people who lead the 50 plus projects
supported by the Laureus Sport for Good
Foundation, much of that definition, i.e.
enterprise, risk and initiative, rings true.
The term ‘social entrepreneurship’
to describe the application of
entrepreneurial principles to invoke
social change, was first used in the
1960s and 70s and given increased
focus by the founder of the Ashoka
organization, Bill Drayton. As he said,
‘Social entrepreneurs are not content just
to give a fish or teach how to fish. They
will not rest until they have revolutionised
the fishing industry.’ It is a term that
binds groups of extraordinary people
together, people possessed of ideas,
committed to dedicating their lives to
positive social change. People who do
not harness a system but work to change
the system through a combination of
vision and reality. It is increasingly being
used to describe the activities of often
extraordinary people, such as those in
Ciudad Oeste in the Andes or in the
Magic Bus offices in Mumbai, who apply
their skills and vision to an outcome that
carries with it a significant social rather
than economic impact.
The people that Laureus supports are all social entrepreneurs.
Through their vision, commitment, dedication, tirelessness, courage,
humility and stubbornness, they effect change.
Simply put, they are all extraordinary.
www.laureus.com
32
These are people like Scotty Lee who
having driven aid trucks through the ring
of steel that besieged Sarajevo, and who
now kicks a football across a soccer pitch
in Cambodia to show children how far
the deadly shrapnel of a landmine will
spread to cut them down. People like
Luke Dowdney who arrange sit downs
with the juvenile leaders of armed drugs
gangs in the favelas of Rio, not sure
whether he will leave alive, or Matthew
Spacie whose simple red ‘Magic’ bus has
become a symbol of hope to thousands
of children in Mumbai – an Englishman in
a city of 100-million Indians overcoming
every possible cultural and political hurdle
to help provide education, sanitation and
hope to 5-year-olds who grow up in the
basements of building sites.
The people that Laureus supports
are all social entrepreneurs. Through
their vision, commitment, dedication,
tirelessness, courage, humility and
stubbornness, they effect change. Simply
put, they are all extraordinary.
A DAY
>> MENZI ZUNGU
PROGRAMME MANAGER, PEACEPLAYERS INTERNATIONAL, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
IN THE
LIFE
FAST FACTS
South Africa:
Population: 47.9 million
HIV/AIDS infections:
4.8 million
Unemployment rate: 25.5%
I was born in the Umlazi township, near Durban
in South Africa. I live with my mother and my
two younger sisters. I have been working with
PeacePlayers International since 2002, starting
as a coach and have worked my way up to being
Programme Manager of the Umlazi Township
Primary School Program and the Leadership
Development Program (LDP). The LDP is for young
men and women who have participated in the
primary-school programme and are now in high
school. Overall, we have twelve teams and 140
players in the programme.
On a normal day, I wake up at 6.30am, have a
bath and take my niece to school. I then jump in a
taxi to town; the ride takes about an hour because
of traffic. Get to the office, check my e-mails and
then get the day started.
We have a management meeting at 9am every
Tuesday where we talk about what went well the
previous week and what will happen in the coming
week. Each manager talks about the events that
happened in their area and how we as fellow staff
can help. Then, we meet for a life-skills session and
talk about how to help coaches in their schools
connect with their kids. We have a dual curriculum:
personal development and HIV/Aids awareness.
We receive training on both at the beginning of
each semester.
Then I meet with my two Umlazi Area Managers
to review the past week, evaluate each coach, what
we need to improve and how we can best support
the coaches. The schools are very happy with
the programme and, most importantly the kids
understand the life-skills information the coaches
are teaching them. At the end of the meeting, we
finalise the agenda for that day’s grade 6 clinic.
The coaching staff, the managers and I meet
at the Umlazi Island Park. We expect about 160
kids from eight primary schools in Umlazi. Sixteen
coaches arrive early to set up and plan for the day.
We will have seven stations: dribbling, shooting,
lay-ups, passing, defence and life skills. When
the kids get there we line them up according to
schools and then divide them into groups so each
group will have kids from the different schools. I
keep the time and every ten minutes I blow the
whistle so they can rotate stations. The clinic runs
for about two hours. At the end, we call everyone
together and ask the kids what they learned. We
tell them what to expect for the next session and
wish them a safe trip home. Then I meet with
everyone who helped out and thank them.
Now I head to LDP practice. LPD is an afterschool programme. School ends at 3pm and the
practice starts at 4pm. The players come from three
to five kilometres away as LDP is the highlight of
their day. They are all happy to see me because
70 percent of them I coached in primary school.
The coach and I start the practice, first warm up
then reviewing what they did last week, and then
we start the drills for the day. After they learn the
drills, we play games. Some of the kids ask me to
play but I know they want to show me that they
have been practicing. After a few games we call all
the kids together and review the practice then we
Above and below: PeacePlayers
dismiss. I walk home with some kids that stay near participants engage in a game of
my area.
basketball.
33
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PROJECT REPORTS
Youth Sports Foyle held four basketball cross-border
coaching days in preparation for the summer basketball
festivals. The cross-border days provide opportunities
for young people, who would not normally have a
chance to interact, a space where they can engage
with one another through the medium of basketball.
The cross border coaching days involved Catholic and
Protestant participants from Northern Ireland and
Ireland. The participants learnt new basketball skills
and took part in life-skill activities that reinforced the
principles of teamwork, accepting people’s differences
and personal development.
KIDSWIN
Germany
A pilot version of the project began in January 2007, targeting
six schools and involving 180 girls. The culmination of the
project is the chance for the girls to compete in the Courir
Pour Le Plaisir, which is the most successful women’s race
in Africa boasting over 25 000 participants. The project was
visited by Laureus Academy members Marvelous Marvin Hagler,
Daley Thompson and Nawal El Moutawakel who enjoyed the
opportunity to interact with participants.
FFP’s boxing and wrestling teams participated in
various competitions throughout São Paulo. The
tournaments are effective as they expose participants
to competitions and provide an opportunity for
young people to demonstrate the skills that they
have learnt. The participants’ ability has improved
and they have become more confident in their
abilities on and off the sports field.
A group of participants were taken to visit the Parque Lecoqc zoo. The
participants assisted in planning the trip and organising the activities
that took place during the trip. It was a great experience for everyone
involved as participants revelled in being in charge of activities and this
gave them a sense of ownership for the event. It was also a good test of
their leadership skills.
Helderberg Partnership Programme held a Sports Day, which involved
Laureus Academy members Morné Du Plessis and Hugo Porta as
well as IWC representatives. The event was inspirational as Academy
members joined in and played with the children, while they had the
possibility to interact with the project leaders.
www.laureus.com
34
G
P ORT S
YOUTH S
FOYLE Northern
Ireland/
Ireland
P OUR
COURIR
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Morocco
FIGHT F
Brazil
OR PE AC
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Uruguay
PROGR Africa
South A
The highlight was a training session that involved Laureus Academy
member Franz Klammer at the Golf Club Brunnthal. The golf session was an
educational experience, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the participants.
Klammer inspired the participants as he shared his story with them. A TV
production team also accompanied the children and observed the training.
The 90 girls from the ‘Twinned Peace Basketball Schools’ supported by the
Laureus Sport for Good Foundation participated in a recreational joint activity,
which additionally marked the Jewish folkloric festival of Purim. Together,
the girls dressed up in disguise and took part in a thrilling fitness activity
with balloons. This activity served as a continuation of the cultural awareness
component of the project, encouraging the girls’ awareness and understanding
of the religious and cultural backgrounds of their counterparts. Significantly,
such activities foster cooperation, and encourage a sense of inclusion and
activism rather than passive understanding.
Unified Sports Programme conducted a unified bowling event
with 80 athletes, 60 parents and 40 mainstream class students
involved. The event took place in Macau and lasted five hours.
The competition gave athletes and partners the opportunity to
work together and to better understand each other.
SPECIALIC S
OLYMP
China
PE RE S
CENTERACE
FOR PEEast
Middle
MAGIC
BU S
India
MYS A
Kenya
CO B A P
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South A
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South A
One of the main activities during the second quarter was the Inter
Zonal Tournament, which involved approximately 1 000 girls and boys
from the project and the community. The tournament was a great
opportunity for the community to learn more about the work that
Magic Bus does. For the first time since the project began, there was
a great amount of support from parents, moreover they were actively
involved in assisting staff with managing the tournament. Another
encouraging fact was the increased number of girls that participated.
The new MYSA library is still under construction at Githurai zone. The
library will benefit over 1 500 MYSA youth in Githurai. In addition, it
will also benefit all the community schools in the area. The library will
be a centre where young people can access books and learn about
the importance of being accountable for the books they take out and
will form a resource base for the whole community.
COBAP participants mobilised themselves to visit their fellow
youth who are infected and affected by HIV/Aids. This act was
commended by the community, which is slowly shifting their views
on HIV/Aids. The project’s participants continue challenging
stereotypes that still exist in the community.
One of the highlights was the visit from Laureus Friend
& Ambassador Baby Jake Matlala, who engaged with the
participants and was an inspiration to both participants and staff
members. Matlala took part in a boxing demonstration and after
that gave an inspirational talk.
PeacePlayers International hosted their biannual citywide tournament.
Laureus Friend & Ambassador and former South African National soccer
captain, Lucas Radebe, engaged the youth by participating in basketball
drills and HIV-awareness sessions. At the end of the tournament Lucas
awarded sporting and life-skill prizes to the most successful participants.
35
www.laureus.com
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IWC Watch Drawings
A Drawing competition was held to choose the design to be engraved on the
case back of the limited IWC Pilot’s Watch Chrono-Automatic Edition Laureus
Sport for Good. Entries were received from projects around the world, some
of them shown here. The winning entry from Jimena Mainé, an 8-year old girl
from Uruguay, is shown above and on the completed watch.
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