Victorious Ryder Cup captain, José María Olazábal has been nominated for the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for Sports for 2013.
The award is the most important of sports awards in Spain and with the Spanish Golf Federation seeking to have Olazabal’s exemplarity life and work for his efforts in the improvement, cultivation, promotion and dissemination of the values of sport.
The award was established on 24 September 1980 by the twelve year-old Felipe, Prince of Asturias, heir to the throne of Spain, “to consolidate links between the Principality and the Prince of Asturias, and to contribute to encouraging and promoting scientific, cultural and humanistic values that form part of mankind’s universal heritage.”
The awards are presented in Oviedo, the capital of the Principality of Asturias, at a ceremony presided by Felipe, Prince of Asturias. A sculpture, expressly created for the prize by Spanish sculptor Joan Miró, is presented yearly to the recipients of the prize.
There is a number of disciplines but it was not to 1987 when Sport was added, and there’s only been one golfer to receive the award and that was the late, great Severiano Ballesteros in 1989.
Among other recipients for the Sports award were Sebestian Coe (1987), Carl Lewis (1996), Steffi Graf (1999) and the now disgraced Lance Armstrong (2000).
Olazabal was born in Fuenterrabia (Guipúzcoa) on February 5, 1966, and capped his career with two Masters victories before leading Europe to victory late last year in what is know known as the Miracle at Medinah.
Olazabal’s own individual Ryder Cup record is marked by four wins in seven appearances while he and Ballesteros combined to become one of the most feared team rivals as evident by 11 wins in 13 games.
Olazabal was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 to join Ballesteros.
The Federation in their proposal rightly state Olazábal is a fine example as a person. Not surprisingly, his election as captain of the European team in the Ryder Cup last process was a unanimous and undisputed by players, media and institutions around the world, who valued these identity-respect of the rules, the opponent and the general public, which has always characterized the human and sporting career of Jose Maria Olazabal.
Person exemplary sportsman blameless; successful golfer, worldwide recognition, honors the most prestigious, competitive spirit full of elegance; huge potential to grow in adversity; spirit of harmony and unity; golfer loved and admired by his peers; career full of awards , essential reference … are some of the adjectives that come to the figure of José María Olazábal from its beginnings as a golfer.
The awards will be presented later this year while in the meantime supports for his nomination will be collected from institutions, organizations, associations, federal and supporters in general through a series of actions that are designed to recognize the achievements of Olazábal.
The first vote is taking place this week at the Madrid Golf Fair that ends on Sunday where people can express their support by signing this bid in a book located in the stand of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation.
