MAP journalist, founding member of laureus awards jury

Head of MAP sports desk Mohamed Bencherif was made founding member of Laureus Sports Awards set up by Daimler-Chrysler/Richemont whose inaugural event will be staged in Monaco in May 2000 under patronage of Prince Albert.

The first ever worldwide sports awards celebration for sporting excellence covering all sports disciplines across all continents means to recognize the performance of sportsmen and sportswomen of different origins in a variety of categories, which transcend borders and barriers between different sports.

Categories include: Sportsman and woman of the year, Comeback of the year, Extreme Sportsperson of the year, Team of the year and Lifetime achievement award.

The Cartier-designed statuettes will go every year to those selected by a panel made up of sports journalists who in turn hands in nominees to the World Sports Academy comprising 25 members, boasting legendary status through athletic performance, for election.