St. Lucia Hosts Commonwealth Sports Awards - Lifetime Award for FIFA V.P.

Contact: John Emmanuel

Monday, October 29, 2001 - Vice President of football’s world governing body (FIFA) Austin “Jack” Warner has commended organizers of the Commonwealth Sports Awards for their efforts in recognizing and paying tribute to dozens of sports personalities throughout the region.

Warner, a Trinidad and Tobago national, received the Commonwealth Sports Foundation’s Lifetime Award at a gala ceremony held at the Rex St. Lucian on the weekend. He noted that in a world of declining values and negative criticism, much was being accomplished by the award ceremony in bestowing honours on individuals who serve as positive role models. The contribution of sport and sports personalities he said had gone unrecognised.

“There are very few countries in the Commonwealth where their flags can be flown on the field of war, possibly the last country is now in Afghanistan. Surely though the flags of all the countries in the Commonwealth can be flown on the field of sport and those flags can help to propel these countries forward and it is in this regard I want to reiterate my thanks to the federation for having persevered with this awards ceremony,” said Warner.

Now into it’s 22^nd year, the Commonwealth Sports Awards in addition to focusing on youth achievements, presented awards in the categories of athletics, boxing, cricket, football, and netball.

World test cricket record holder, Jamaican Courtney Walsh won the nomination for Commonwealth Cricketer of the year. Other nominees were Australian Mark Waugh and Shane Warne. The Commonwealth Footballer award went to Michael Owen of Liverpool, England. Other contenders were England captain David Beckham and the Nigerian national football team. The Athletics award went to the world 400-meter champion Avard Moncur of the Bahamas.

Special awards went to retired footballer Chris Ramsey, former professional at Brighton now a European qualified coach and to former World, Commonwealth and British Featherweight boxing champion Colin McMillan.

St. Lucian young cricket all-rounder Darren Sammy, who has been short-listed to tour New Zealand with the West Indies Youth cricket team for a limited overs-series next year and St. Lucian high jump sensation and Sportswoman of the Year Leverne Spencer picked up special awards.

Wimbledon and US Open tennis champion Venus Williams won the International Sports Personality category.

The weekend ceremony marked the first time that the Commonwealth Sports Awards was held in an OECS country. Other previous venues have been England, Scotland, Uganda and Jamaica. The awards ceremony is the brainchild of former Jamaican Sports Journalist Al Hamilton. 

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