John McEnroe was inducted into the Laureus World Sports Academy on Tuesday, joining Pele, Boris Becker and more than three dozen other elite athletes.
The academy promotes sport to improve conditions for young people around the world. At a small ceremony, McEnroe referred to his admiration for former South African president and Nobel Peace laureate Nelson Mandela.
”The most exciting and beautiful person that I ever met in my life was Nelson Mandela,” McEnroe said. ”I felt like I was shaking hands with a living god. When I went to the Laureus sports awards last year, they showed Nelson Mandela saying he believed that sport has the power to change the world.
”Obviously, in these uncertain times, I think it’s very apropos, and I very much appreciate the opportunity to be part of this great group. Because if it’s good enough for Nelson Mandela, it’s million times more than good enough for me.”
The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which is associated with the academy, supports 17 projects worldwide. They deal with poverty, homelessness, war, violence, drugs, discrimination, racism and Aids. Other members of the academy include Michael Jordan, Nadia Comaneci, Dan Marino, Edwin Moses, Michael Johnson and Martina Navratilova. – Sapa-AP