Lee Pearson receives SportStar Award

Lee Pearson from Great Britain was one of the two athletes of the Paralympic Games in to receive the SportStar Award, which have been given for the third time, celebrating the sporting achievements of European athletes at the ATHENS 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The awards ceremony was held on 18 October at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Organised for the first time in October 2000 after the Sydney Games, this event was created by Eurosport with the support of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Twenty-eight International Sport Federations and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) nominated a total of 54 athletes who best represent the values of sport in Europe.

Miguel Sagarra, IPC Secretary General, who attended the event as IPC representative and handed out the awards to the Paralympians stated: " Paralympic athletes were included in these Awards for the first time this year, emphasising the abilities of our athletes, which in the context of the Games prevail over disabilities."

Pearson won three gold medals in the three Equestrian Dressage competitions in Athens that he contested. Pearson was also a triple gold medallist at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Anky Van Grunsven, Individual Gold at the Dressage competition of the Olympic Games was among the celebrated athletes (see FEI Press News 31/04)

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