As well as the world trophy, five continental trophies were presented to women who played an outstanding role in promoting sport in their countries. The winners are as follows:
– Trophy for Africa: Albertine Gonçalves (Senegal)
– Trophy for America: Charmaine Crooks (Canada)
– Trophy for Asia: Elisa Lee (Korea)
– Trophy for Europe: Dominique Petit (France)
– Trophy for Oceania: Lorraine Mar (Fiji)
The 2006 winners were selected by the IOC Women and Sport Commission, chaired by IOC member Anita L. DeFrantz, from dozens of candidatures submitted by the National Olympic Committees and International Federations of Olympic sports.
Gabriela Sabatini
The Women and Sport Commission’s choice for the world Trophy in 2006 was Argentinean tennis player and three times world number three Gabriela Sabatini. After retiring from an active sports career in 1996, Gabriela Sabatini devoted the same strength and energy to her support work, with a view, in her own words, to “giving back to sport something of the many things that sport gave to me”. She is behind a programme for young players run by the national tennis federation for which she has provided all the funding. She also finances women’s tennis tournaments and free tennis clinics for young children – all out of the public eye.
