Beyond Sport Award Winners Unveiled In Johannesburg
The winners of the Beyond Sport Awards 2014, supported by Sport Relief, have been announced at this year’s global Summit in Johannesburg, as the three-day event comes to a close.
Supported by Sport Relief, the Beyond Sport Awards celebrate and reward the best projects from around the world that use sport to bring about positive social change. Cricket superstar Graeme Smith and SuperSport presenter Carol Tshabalala presented the award for Best New Project to Dance4Change from The Change Foundation, which uses dance to inspire young people to work together and address the challenges they themselves face in their day-to-day lives.
Over 350 projects were entered into this year’s awards from over 70 countries around the world. Presenters including former Bafana Bafana and Leeds United Captain Lucas Radebe, Captain of the Kaizer Chiefs and South African national team Itumeleng Khune, South Africa footballing legend Mark Fish, South Africa women’s national team midfielder Amanda Dlamini, NBA heroes Cedric Ceballos and Sam Perkins, and former South African Test cricketer Ali Bacher lined up on-stage to present the coveted trophies to the 2014 winners.
The award for Corporate of the Year went to Chevrolet’s Coaches Across Continents, Darfur United Soccer Academy took home the Sport for Social Inclusion, supported by Barclays, the UNICEF Sport for Education Award was won by Ocean Academy and Premiership Rugby earned Sport Federation or Governing Body of the Year.
Today’s other winners include Girls Empowerment Project (Sport for Health), Waste Management Phoenix (Sport for the Environment), PL4Y International’s Sport4Youth and Peace (Sport for Conflict Resolution) and Charlton Athletic Community Trust (Sport Team of the Year).
Showing their support for this global event, Bobby Malabie, Group Executive Marketing, Communications, Citizenship and Public Affairs, Barclays; Ethan Zohn, Founder, Grassroot Soccer and Beyond Sport Young Ambassador Korinne Dennis also stepped into the spotlight to present this year’s winners with their well-deserved awards.
The winners of all the Beyond Sport Awards, supported by Sport Relief, will receive global recognition, a package of substantial business and strategic support, and exclusive access to partnership and media opportunities.
Nick Keller, Founder of Beyond Sport said “All our shortlist represent the very best in leadership both in society and their own communities. Amongst all the remarkable work, the winners have demonstrated innovation and impact at an exceptional level and are an inspiration to all; we hope winning today further strengthens the incredible work they have already achieved”.
This year’s Awards made up part of the annual Beyond Sport Summit, which took place across various venues in Johannesburg from 28th to 30th October. Themed around youth leadership, this year’s Summit and Awards showcased leading sport-for-social change programmes and how they can make a positive social impact across the city by inspiring the youth to become leaders amongst their communities.