The Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year is an annual award honouring the achievements of those individuals or teams who have made a comeback performance in the world of sports. It was first awarded in 2000 as one of the seven constituent awards presented during the Laureus World Sports Awards.[1] The awards are presented by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a global organisation involved in more than 150 charity projects supporting 500,000 young people.[3] The first ceremony was held on 25 May 2000 in Monte Carlo, at which Nelson Mandela gave the keynote speech.[4] As of 2021[update], a shortlist of six nominees for the award comes from a panel composed of the "world's leading sports editors, writers and broadcasters".[1] The Laureus World Sports Academy then selects the individual winner or winning team who is presented with a Laureus statuette, created by Cartier, at an annual awards ceremony held in various locations around the world.[5] The awards are considered highly prestigious and are frequently referred to as the sporting equivalent of the "Oscars".[6][7][8]
| Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | "sportsperson or team who has overcome injury, illness, adversity, disappointment or failure and risen back to triumph in the sporting arena. The Award may also mark a historic fightback by an individual or a team in a sporting event or series of sports events."[1] |
| Location | Seville (2021)[2] |
| Presented by | Laureus Sport for Good Foundation |
| First awarded | 2000 |
| Currently held by |  Simone Biles |
| Website | Official website |
The inaugural winner of the award was American road cyclist Lance Armstrong. Having recovered from testicular cancer, which had spread to his brain, lungs and abdomen,[9] he returned to cycling in 1998 and won the 1999 Tour de France.[10] Following Armstrong's 2013 admission of doping,[11] all his Laureus awards and nominations were rescinded.[12] As of 2023[update], the award has been won by a different individual sportsperson every year (seven to women, seventeen to men), although elevens teams have been nominated – the England men's cricket team (2005), Miami Heat (2007), the Great Britain national rugby league team (2008), Crusaders (2012), Queensland Reds (2012), European Ryder Cup Team (2013), Germany Men's Olympic Eights Team (2013), Oracle Team USA (2014), FC Barcelona (2018), Chapecoense (2018) and Liverpool F.C. (2022). Tennis players dominate the winners list, with seven awards, while athletes, golfers and rugby union players have won twice. The 2024 winner of the award was the American artistic gymnast Simone Biles.[13]
List of winners and nominees
| * | Indicates individual whose award or nomination was later rescinded |
|---|
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Statistics
- Statistics are correct as of 2024 awards.
| Sport | Winners | Nominations |
|---|---|---|
| Tennis | 8 | 8 |
| Athletics | 2 | 20 |
| Golf | 2 | 16 |
| Rugby union | 2 | 5 |
| Football | 1 | 9 |
| Alpine skiing | 1 | 8 |
| Swimming | 1 | 6 |
| Auto racing | 1 | 2 |
| MotoGP | 1 | 2 |
| Snowboarding | 1 | 2 |
| Boxing | 1 | 1 |
| Gymnastics | 1 | 1 |
| Skateboarding | 1 | 1 |
| Basketball | 0 | 4 |
| Cycling | 0 | 4 |
| American football | 0 | 3 |
| Ice hockey | 0 | 3 |
| Cricket | 0 | 2 |
| Badminton | 0 | 1 |
| Baseball | 0 | 1 |
| Diving | 0 | 1 |
| Figure skating | 0 | 1 |
| Freestyle wrestling | 0 | 1 |
| Judo | 0 | 1 |
| Para-snowboarding | 0 | 1 |
| Rowing | 0 | 1 |
| Rugby league | 0 | 1 |
| Sailing | 0 | 1 |
| Surfing | 0 | 1 |
| Triathlon | 0 | 1 |
| Weightlifting | 0 | 1 |