The Swiss
Sports Personality 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 participat ...
was originally chosen annually from 1950 by the
Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internation ...
newspaper ''Sport''. As the newspaper was discontinued in the 1990s, the winners are now chosen by Swiss
journalists and TV viewers. Both groups' votes are equally weighted in determining the final result. In 2009
Roger Federer
Roger Federer (; born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss former professional tennis player. He was ranked List of ATP number 1 ranked singles tennis players#Weeks at No. 1, world No. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 310 weeks, in ...
had a large lead among voters working in the media, but viewers voted for
Didier Cuche
Didier Cuche (born 16 August 1974) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Switzerland.
Career
Born in Le Pâquier, Neuchâtel, he competed in the downhill and super-G, along with the giant slalom. He won the World Cup downhill and super-G ...
, giving him the award. Even Cuche was surprised and in his speech he apologized to Federer, saying "I hope he's not too angry." In 2005 spectators voted for
Thomas Lüthi
Thomas Lüthi (born 6 September 1986) is a Swiss sporting director at Prüstel GP, and former Grand Prix motorcycle racer. He spent 19 years in Grand Prix world championships, becoming one of only six riders to reach 300 race starts, spending m ...
while the media instead voted for Federer.
Roger Federer has won this award a record seven times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2014, and 2017).
List of winners
References
{{Portal bar, Sport, Switzerland
1950 establishments in Switzerland
Awards established in 1950
National sportsperson-of-the-year trophies and awards
Sport in Switzerland
Swiss awards