Athlete of the Year

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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.

• 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).

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.

• 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)

Awards with deliberate global scope, consistently nominating an international mix of athletes

• 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

• European Sportsperson of the Year

• BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year

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

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2023)

 Algeria

• Algeria Best Athletes of the Year

 Argentina

• Olimpia Award

 Australia

• AIS Athlete of the Year

 Austria

• Austrian Sportspersonality of the year

 Belgium

• Belgian Sportsman of the year

 Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Bosnia and Herzegovina Sportsperson of the Year

 Brazil

• Prêmio Brasil Olímpico

 Bulgaria

• Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year

 Canada

• 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)

 Croatia

• Sportske novosti awards

 Czech Republic

• Sportsperson of the Year

 Denmark

• Danish Sports Name of the Year

 Estonia

• Estonian Sportspersonality of the year

 Finland

• Finnish Sports Personality of the Year

 France

• L'Équipe Champion of Champions

 Germany

• German Sportspersonality of the Year

 Greece

• PSAT Sports Awards

 Hungary

• Hungarian Sportspeople of the Year

 Iceland

• Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year

 India

• Khel Ratna Award

 Iran

• Iran Sportsperson of the year

 Ireland

• RTÉ Sports Person of the Year

 Italy

• Gazzetta Sports Awards
• Giuseppe Sciacca International Awards Sports Prize

 Jamaica

• Jamaica Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year

 Japan

• Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize

 Kenya

• Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year

 Latvia

• Latvian Sportspersonality of the year

 Lithuania

• Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year

 Luxembourg

• Luxembourgish Sportspeople of the Year

 Malaysia

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

 Moldova

• Moldovan Sportsman of the year

 Montenegro

• Sportsperson of the Year

 Netherlands

• Dutch Sportsman of the year

 New Zealand

• Halberg Awards

 Norway

• Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year

 Philippines

• PSA Sportsman of the Year

 Poland

• Polish Sportspersonality of the Year

 Portugal

• CDP Awards

 Serbia

• Golden badge Sport—athlete of the year

 Slovakia

• Sportsperson of the Year

 Slovenia

• Slovenian Sportsman of the year

 South Africa

• South African Sportsperson of the Year

 Spain

• Premios Nacionales del Deporte

 Sweden

• Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
• Radiosportens Jerringpris
• Svenska idrottsgalan

  Switzerland

• Swiss Sports Personality of the Year

 Ukraine

• Heroes of Sports Year

 United Kingdom

• 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

 United States
The presence of "Sportsman" in the name doesn't imply that the award is open solely to men; women have frequently won these awards.

• 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^[1]
• Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award^[1]
• Atlantic Coast Conference Athlete of the Year (ACC)
• Big Ten Athlete of the Year

 Vanuatu

• Vanuatu Sports Awards

 Czechoslovakia

• Czechoslovakia Sportsperson of the Year

 Soviet Union

• Soviet Union top ten athletes of the year

 Yugoslavia

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

• 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.)

• Rookie of the Year (award)