Latino Sports’ Best at 4th Annual Premios Fox Sports.

Fox Pan American Sports (FPAS) hosted its 4th Annual Premios Fox Sports presented by DHL, the only awards program of its kind to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of Latino athletes and personalities from the world of sports. Winners in three categories were voted on exclusively by fans via text messaging, while 19 additional awards were voted on by an expert panel of judges and crowned during the official Premios Fox Sports awards ceremony at the Jackie Gleason Theater of Performing Arts in Miami Beach, Florida.

“Premios Fox Sports once again has proven to be one of the top Latino events of the year,” said Jim Ganley, COO for Fox Pan American Sports. “Thanks to the wonderful support of our sponsors, advertisers, partners and our friends from throughout the Fox family, this year’s awards show was our biggest to date. Fox Pan American Sports congratulates this year’s distinguished honorees and sends a special thank you to the many athletes, entertainers and personalities that helped make the 4th Annual Premios Fox Sports an overwhelming success.”

This year marked the first time that viewers voted for their favorites in three categories, each representing one of the most important club level soccer tournaments in Latin America, via wireless text messaging. Viewer’s choices included:

BEST GOAL OF COPA TOYOTA LIBERTADORES
Ernesto FARIAS (River Plate, ARG) vs. Corinthians (BRA)

BEST GOAL OF COPA NISSAN SUDAMERICANA
Angel MORALES (Banfield, ARG) vs. San Lorenzo (ARG)

BEST GOAL OF RECOPA
Martin PALERMO (Boca Juniors, ARG) vs. Sao Paulo (BRA)
The Judging Panel’s Selections

Marking another first for Premios Fox Sports this year, Fox Pan American Sports introduced its first-ever awards selection committee to ensure recognizing the most notable sports achievements of the past year, regardless of the individual sport or athlete’s popularity. Upon submitting nominations in each category via secret ballot, each committee member’s recommendations were tabulated and the five nominees receiving the most votes in each category were selected as finalists; the top vote getter overall was selected the winner in his/her respective category. Winners include:

OUTSTANDING SOCCER PLAYER
Rodrigo PALACIO (ARG) – Boca Juniors (ARG)

OUTSTANDING LATIN AMERICAN SOCCER PLAYER IN EUROPE
Rafael MARQUEZ (MEX) – Barcelona (ESP)

OUTSTANDING SOCCER MANAGER
Alfio BASILE (ARG) – Boca Juniors (ARG)/ Argentina National Team

OUTSTANDING LATIN AMERICAN SOCCER TEAM
BOCA JUNIORS (ARG) – Champion of Clausura Tournament and Recopa 2006

OUTSTANDING GOALIE
Oswaldo SANCHEZ (MEX) – Chivas de Guadalajara (MEX)

OUTSTANDING BASKETBALL PLAYER
Juan Ignacio SANCHEZ (ARG) – Unicaja Malaga (ESP)/ Argentina National
Team

OUTSTANDING BASEBALL PLAYER
Johan SANTANA (VEN) – Minnesota Twins, MLB

OUTSTANDING BOXER
Miguel COTTO (PUR) – Welterweight Champion, AMB

OUTSTANDING MOTOR SPORT DRIVER
Ruben PARDO (MEX) – Busch Series East

OUTSTANDING TENNIS PLAYER
Fernando GONZALEZ (CHI)

BREAKOUT STAR
Fernando GAGO (ARG – Soccer)

PARALYMPIC ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Perla Patricia BUSTAMANTE CORONA (MEX – Track & Field)

OUTSTANDING CAREER
Jose SULAIMAN (MEX), President of WBC, International Boxing Hall of
Famer

OUTSTANDING SOCCER CLUB
Ecuador, Historic Octafinals Qualifier, FIFA World Cup 2006

BEST ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Rafael MARQUEZ (MEX) – FC Barcelona (ESP)

SPECIAL MENTION
Jose Manuel DE LA TORRE (MEX) – Coach of Chivas de Guadalajara (MEX)

SPECIAL MENTION
Bruno MARIONI (MEX) – Top Scorer in Mexican Apertura Tournament

HONORABLE MENTION
Argentina National Team, World Cup Champions (Mexico 1986)

YOUTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Oscar USTARI (ARG) – Independiente (ARG)
On the music front, performers at the 4th Annual Premios Fox Sports included Latin Grammy winner Juan Fernando Fonseca (Fonseca); Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum recording artist Cristian Castro; Mexican sensation Paty Manterola; and Argentine multi-platinum recording artist, Diego Torres.

Sports personalities in attendance included: José Sulaiman (President of the WBC and International Boxing Hall of Famer), Orlando Cepeda (Major League Baseball Hall of Famer), Tito Ortiz (Ultimate Fighting Championship), Alexis Arguello (Boxing), Carlos Zarate (Boxing), Pipino Cuevas (Boxing), Christy Martin (Boxing), Jill Diamond (Boxing), Miguel Cotto (Boxing), Jorge Campos (Soccer), Lennox Lewis (Boxing), Adrián Fernández (Motor Sports), Carlos Bilardo (Soccer), Luis Diaz (Motor Sports), Jaime Moreno (Soccer), Enrique Borja (Soccer), Héctor “Macho” Camacho (Boxing), Cobi Jones (Soccer), and Helio Castroneves (Motor Sports).

Film, television and performing artists in attendance included: Grammy-winner Enrique Iglesias, Kate Del Castillo (“American Visa,” “Ramona”), Obie Bermudez (Latin Pop Singer, Latin Grammy Winner), Rene Lavan (“Christmas with the Kranks”), Jimena (pop star), Alicia Machado (former Miss Universe), Yvonne Montero (“Decisiones”), Saul Lisazo (“Gitanas”), and Gustavo Sánchez/Jon Secada/Elizabeth Meza (“Latin American Idol” Judges).

Film and television actress Zoë Saldana (“Guess Who”; “The Terminal”) was also in attendance, alongside six month old cancer patient Beatriz, on behalf of the International Kids Fund, the official charity of Premios Fox Sports.

The following FPAS on-air personalities were also on hand to share in the celebration: Jorge Ramos, Martín Liberman, Fernando Niembro, Ximena Córdova, Hernán Pereya, Pablo Carrillo, Viviana Semienchuk, Waleter Safarian, Mara Almada, Rubén Espejel, Pepe Espinoza, and Claudia Aranalde.

Later in the evening, Grammy-winner Willy Chirino and Puerto Rican salsa sensation N’Klabe pumped up the volume with live performances for VIP guests at a private after-party at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, where event sponsor Ocean Drive Español presented Bruno Marioni with the MOST STYLISH ATHLETE award.

A series of awards were also presented at a private reception on December 13 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, including LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS to Jorge Campos (Soccer, MEX), Carl Herrera (Basketball, VEN), Enrique Borja (Soccer, MEX), Ubaldo “El Pato” Fillol (Soccer, ARG), and Francisco “Pacho” Maturana (Soccer, COL). SPECIAL AWARDS were also presented in honor of CHIVAS DE GUADALAJARA (MEX) and the PARAGUAYAN SOCCER ASSOCIATION’S 100-year anniversaries.