Many of the greatest names in sport will be attending the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards to be held in Abu Dhabi on March 10.

England football coach Fabio Capello, World Heavweight Champion boxer Vitali Klitschko, Germany Women’s football coach Silvia Neid, South Africa rugby coach Peter de Villiers and American 400 metres World Champion Sanya Richards are the latest sporting celebrities to confirm their attendance.

The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports awards honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the living legends of sport honouring the greatest athletes of today. Among the sporting celebrities attending the event in Abu Dhabi are:

Giacomo Agostini Antoine Albeau Marcus Allen Mansour Bahrami Layne Beachley Franz Beckenbauer Boris Becker Bakkies Botha Ian Botham Sergey Bubka Fabio Capello Nadia Comaneci David Coulthard Tom Daley Kapil Dev Deshun Deysel Kurt Fearnley Allyson Felix Emerson Fittipaldi Sean Fitzpatrick Andrew Flintoff Dawn Fraser Cathy Freeman Mika Hakkinen Tony Hawk Kelly Holmes Mike Horn Miguel Induráin Butch James Kip Keino Taig Khris Vitali Klitschko Brian Lara Michael Lynagh Barry McGuigan Edwin Moses Nawal El Moutawakel Ilie Nastase Silvia Neid Alexey Nemov Christine Ohuruogu François Pienaar Oscar Pistorius Gary Player Morné du Plessis Shaun Pollock Hugo Porta Steve Redgrave Sanya Richards Aranxta Sánchez-Vicario Emilio Sánchez Monica Seles Mark Spitz Daley Thompson Natalie du Toit Alberto Tomba Michael Vaughan Esther Vergeer Peter de Villiers Steve Waugh

Double Olympic gold medallist Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “This promises to be one of the best Awards we have ever staged. Already we have many great sportsmen and sportswomen, past and present, coming to Abu Dhabi. It was a thrilling year for sport and we look forward to celebrating that at a memorable Awards Ceremony. The Nominations reflect the immense strength of sport at the moment.”

The 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards will be supported by host partner Aabar Investments PJSC. Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, offers a fascinating combination of the old and the new; a blend of Arabian hospitality and mystique where a mixture of culture and tradition come together against a backdrop of the most modern world-class infrastructure. Abu Dhabi is developing a reputation as a leading international sporting venue. The Laureus World Sports Awards is the latest high profile sports event to be staged in Abu Dhabi. Last year Abu Dhabi was chosen to stage football’s FIFA Club World Cup, and the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship are now highlights of the sporting calendar in the city.