Andy Garcia will host the final evening of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid

Hollywood star Andy Garcia will host the 25th edition of the Laureus World Sports Awards, the Oscars of sport, the most prestigious event on the international sporting calendar, scheduled in Madrid, at the historic Palacio de Cibeles, next Monday 22 April. Andy Garcia’s name joins those of other film stars who have already presented the Laureus Awards in the past such as Bill Murray, Hugh Grant and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Andy Garcia has starred in some of the most beloved films of the last 30 years, but before fulfilling his acting dream he dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. He played basketball and baseball and his Little League coach in Miami was another Oscar-nominated actor like Mickey Rourke.

For four decades Andy Garcia has lit up the small and big screens, starring in films such as The Godfather Part III, for which he was nominated for an Oscar, The Untouchables and Ocean’s 11 and its sequels. But his love for sport has never waned: Andy Garcia, in fact, regularly participates in golf events, threw the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers Major League game and is often in the front row at Staples Center to watch “his” Los Angeles Lakers.

“Sport has always played an important role in my life – he said -. Before I thought about becoming an actor, I wanted to be an athlete. And today I still love going out on the golf course or watching my favorite team play. Sport It has a special power. It is a power that the Laureus Awards leverage. For me it is truly a great honor to be able to present these awards in the beautiful city of Madrid. All the athletes who will be awarded on April 22nd are true heroes. They have amazed us with seemingly superhuman feats. This generation of athletes can also shape the world around them, both through the work they do away from the spotlight and by tackling sensitive issues when they know the world is listening to them. What we have experienced in 2023 is It has been an unforgettable sporting year and I look forward to celebrating its heroes at the Laureus World Sports Awards.”

The awards ceremony will be broadcast worldwide. In Italy, the Laureus Awards will be broadcast live on Sky Sport Uno, Sky Sport Arena and streaming on Now on Monday 22 April, at 8.00 pm with commentary by Giovanni Bruno, Nicola Roggero and Ghilda Pensante. Live connections on Sky Sport 24 with correspondent Valentina Fass, ready to gather interviews with the sports and entertainment stars present at the evening directly on the red carpet. The winners of the different categories will be decreed by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the jury par excellence made up of 69 sports legends, after over 1300 journalists from all over the world have already cast their votes, defining the nominations.

This year’s shortlist includes the world’s greatest athletes. Last year’s winner, Lionel Messi, is again nominated as “Sportsman of the Year” alongside Erling Haaland, Mondo Duplantis, Noah Lyles, Max Verstappen and Novak Djokovic. Olympic track stars ShàCarri Richardson, Faith Kipyegon and Shericka Jackson are on the shortlist along with Iga Swiatek, Mikaela Shiffrin and Aitana Bonmatí. No fewer than 15 Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners will participate in the next Laureus Awards, which will precede the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics by a few months.

The medal-winning athletes will also be joined by other champions and world record holders in many sports disciplines. Prominent names such as Raúl, Cafu, Ruud Gullit embellish the parterre de rois; Jessica Ennis-Hill, Michael Johnson, Edwin Moses, Sean Fitzpatrick, Bryan Habana and Martina Navratilova.