Athlete of the Year

Athlete of the Year is an award given by various sports organizations for the athlete whom they have determined to be deserving of such recognition.

Definition of "athlete"

 * In many nations, an "athlete" primarily refers to someone who participates in the various disciplines of athletics (track and field, racewalking, cross country and road running)
 * In other nations — including Canada and the United States — an "athlete" equals "sportsperson" (from any sport).

Similar names for the award
The awards have various titles, examples include "Player of the Year" and "Sportspersonality of the Year". In the United States, several states choose a simple "Mr." or "Miss" prefix, such as Mr. Basketball (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin). Such awards — general and one-sport-only — are common at the high-school, college (university), and professional levels in the United States.

Athletics (track and field)

 * World's Greatest Athlete (decathlon for men, heptathlon for women)
 * World Athlete of the Year (World Athletics formerly known as the IAAF)
 * European Athlete of the Year (European Athletic Association)
 * Track & Field News Athlete of the Year
 * The Bowerman (collegiate track & field's athlete of the year)

All sports
Awards with deliberate global scope, consistently nominating an international mix of athletes
 * Worldwide
 * Laureus World Sports Awards
 * L'Équipe Champion of Champions—excludes French nationals
 * BBC World Sport Star of the Year—excludes British nationals
 * United Press International Athlete of the Year Award
 * Gazzetta Sports Awards
 * Giuseppe Sciacca International Awards Sports Prize
 * United States Sports Academy Athlete of the Year


 * Continental
 * European Sportsperson of the Year


 * Regional
 * BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year

Awards that focus (either predominantly or exclusively) on sportspersons from the host country
 * Nationwide


 * Algeria Best Athletes of the Year


 * Olimpia Award


 * AIS Athlete of the Year


 * Austrian Sportspersonality of the year


 * Belgian Sportsman of the year


 * Bosnia and Herzegovina Sportsperson of the Year


 * Prêmio Brasil Olímpico


 * Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year


 * Lou Marsh Trophy (athlete of the year, of either sex)
 * Lionel Conacher Award (male athlete of the year)
 * Bobbie Rosenfeld Award (female athlete of the year)
 * Velma Springstead Trophy (female athlete of the year)
 * Tom Longboat Awards (indigenous athletes)


 * Sportske novosti awards


 * Sportsperson of the Year


 * Danish Sports Name of the Year


 * Estonian Sportspersonality of the year


 * Finnish Sports Personality of the Year


 * L'Équipe Champion of Champions


 * German Sportspersonality of the Year


 * PSAT Sports Awards


 * Hungarian Sportspeople of the Year


 * Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year


 * Khel Ratna Award


 * Iran Sportsperson of the year


 * RTÉ Sports Person of the Year


 * Gazzetta Sports Awards
 * Giuseppe Sciacca International Awards Sports Prize


 * Jamaica Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year


 * Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize


 * Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year


 * Latvian Sportspersonality of the year


 * Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year


 * Luxembourgish Sportspeople of the Year


 * Anugerah Sukan Negara for Sportsman of the Year
 * Anugerah Sukan Negara for Sportswoman of the Year


 * Moldovan Sportsman of the year


 * Sportsperson of the Year


 * Dutch Sportsman of the year


 * Halberg Awards


 * Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year


 * PSA Sportsman of the Year


 * Polish Sportspersonality of the Year


 * CDP Awards


 * Golden badge Sport—athlete of the year


 * Sportsperson of the Year


 * Slovenian Sportsman of the year


 * South African Sportsperson of the Year


 * Premios Nacionales del Deporte


 * Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
 * Radiosportens Jerringpris
 * Svenska idrottsgalan


 * Swiss Sports Personality of the Year


 * Heroes of Sports Year

The presence of "Sportsman" in the name doesn't imply that the award is open solely to men; women have frequently won these awards.
 * BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award
 * BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year
 * BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year
 * BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year
 * Associated Press Athlete of the Year (AP)
 * Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
 * Best Male Athlete ESPY Award
 * Sporting News Sportsman/Pro Athlete of the Year
 * Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year
 * USOC Athlete of the Year
 * Sportswoman of the Year Award (Women's Sports Foundation)
 * United Press International Athlete of the Year Award (UPI) (defunct)
 * NCAA Woman of the Year Award (student-athlete)
 * Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award
 * Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award
 * Atlantic Coast Conference Athlete of the Year (ACC)
 * Big Ten Athlete of the Year


 * Vanuatu Sports Awards


 * Defunct


 * Czechoslovakia Sportsperson of the Year


 * Soviet Union top ten athletes of the year


 * DSL Sport Golden Badge Best Athlete
 * Sportske novosti Athlete of the Year

One sport (other than track and field)

 * International Baseball Federation Senior Athlete of the Year
 * U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year (U.S. Soccer Federation) (association football)
 * Golden Year Award at association football, Neymar last winner
 * Leigh Matthews Trophy (Australian Football League) (Australian rules football)
 * Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Player Award (Canadian football)
 * GAA All Stars Awards (Gaelic games)
 * All Stars Footballer of the Year (Gaelic football)
 * All Stars Hurler of the Year (hurling)
 * Ladies' Gaelic football All Stars Awards (Ladies' Gaelic football)
 * Camogie All Stars Awards (camogie)
 * Rounders All Stars Awards (rounders)
 * National Football League Most Valuable Player Award (U.S.) (American football)
 * Nippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (Japan)
 * MLB Most Valuable Player Award (Major League Baseball) (U.S. & Canada)
 * Players Choice Awards Player of the Year (Major League Baseball) (U.S. & Canada)
 * Sporting News Player of the Year (Major League Baseball) (U.S. & Canada)
 * Sporting News MLB Athlete of the Decade (Major League Baseball) (U.S. & Canada)
 * ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year (Atlantic Coast Conference) (college/university) (U.S.)
 * Baseball America High School Player of the Year Award (U.S.)