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STARS OF SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT SUPPORT LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD AT LAUREUS KING POWER POLO CUP

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  • Guests at Ham Polo Club include Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and TV presenter Emma Willis
  • Leicester City’s Premier League trophy on display at Sport for Good fundraiser
  • Leading polo players participate in Laureus King Power Polo Cup between Mercedes-AMG and St Tropez Polo Club
  • Funds raised to support the work of Laureus Sport for Good in Argentina
  • Images from the event available at www.laureusarchive.com

LONDON, June 16, 2016 – A host of celebrity figures from the world of sport and entertainment enjoyed the skill and athleticism of the world’s leading polo players competing in the 12th Laureus King Power Polo Cup, while raising funds for Laureus Sport for Good.

Chairman of Premier League champions Leicester City and Laureus Ambassador Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was joined by TV presenter Emma Willis, England cricket star Jonny Bairstow and a host of celebrity guests including Lady Kitty Spencer, and Hugo Taylor, star of TV show Made in Chelsea.

Also at Ham Polo Club were Laureus Academy Members and legends of the sporting world, including Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy and All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick, double Olympic 400 metres hurdles gold medallist Edwin Moses, Argentina’s greatest ever rugby player Hugo Porta and double Olympic decathlon champion Daley Thompson. Laureus Ambassadors former English cricket captain Michael Vaughan and world and Olympic track cycling champion Victoria Pendleton were also at Ham to support Laureus Sport for Good.

Speaking at the Laureus King Power Polo Cup, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy Sean Fitzpatrick said: “We’re all delighted to be here to support the great work Laureus Sport for Good is doing to help young people through sport. This event has become a highlight of the Laureus year and I know the funds raised here will make a positive impact in improving the lives of young people.

“I would especially like to thank King Power and founder Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha for their support for this event. Vichai has enjoyed one of the most exceptional years in the history of English football as Leicester City defied all the odds to win the Premier League. That shows you the magic of sport and what can be achieved if you have belief and stick together. We really appreciate his commitment to Laureus.”

Laureus Ambassador and Founder of King Power Duty Free, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha said: “This event brings together two of my passions, polo and the inspirational power of sport. It’s incredible to have some of the world’s greatest polo players here with us, helping to raise funds to support the great work of Laureus Sport for Good.”

Laureus Academy Member Hugo Porta, Chairman of the Fundación Laureus Argentina, commented: “This event is hugely important for us in Argentina. I am so grateful that the best polo players in the world are here and it’s great to see so many people from the world of sport and entertainment enjoying the event and supporting the work of the Laureus Sport for Good in Argentina.”

Some of the world’s leading polo players were in action, competing for a team sponsored by AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, against a team representing Polo Club St Tropez. They included Gonzalito Pieres, David ‘Pelon’ Stiring, Pablo MacDonough, Marcos di Paola and Top and Tal Srivaddhanaprabha, sons of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. After an exciting encounter, Polo Club St Tropez came out on top beating Mercedes-AMG 7-5. 

During the event, a range of luxury items and experiences were auctioned off to raise funds for Fundación Laureus Argentina, including a limited edition IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 watch, a four-person hospitality package for a Leicester City Champions League fixture, a fourball in this year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Challenge at St Andrews and a week in Villa Aiola in Tuscany for eight people.

Funds raised at the event will go to Fundación Laureus Argentina, which will be fed back into Argentina-based projects which focus on using the power of sport to influence social change among young people.

As well as a cuisine served up in the style of a traditional Argentine Asado, guests enjoyed a pop-up bar from famous Mayfair private members club Annabel’s hosted by Pernod Ricard.

The Fundación Laureus Argentina is based in Buenos Aires and currently supports eight projects: Asociación Civil Mostrando Caminos; Club Deportivo Barracas (Mi Club Nuestro Lugar); Programa A Ganar; Fundacion El Desafio (Deporte Por La Vida); Proyecto Fatima (Fundación CUBA); Virreyes Hockey, Granja Andar and Fundacion Temas (Escuela de Boxeo). 

Also in attendance at the Laureus King Power Polo Cup were; Torquhil Ian Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll, Jean-Bernard Fernandez Versini, celebrity figures Spencer Matthews, Amber Le Bon, Otis Ferry and Tess Ward, Sky Sports News presenter Hayley McQueen, Mercedes-AMG DTM driver Maximilian Götz and rugby player Shane Geraghty.

The mission of the Laureus Sport for Good is to utilise the power of sport to address social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives. Since its inception in 2000, Laureus has supported more than 150 projects worldwide and raised over €100 million for organisations which have improved the lives of millions of young people.

For more information about Laureus Sport for Good, please visit http://www.laureus.com/