The glittering event will be held at Central Hall in Westminster English on February 6, just over five months before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in July.

"I am delighted that the Laureus World Sports Awards are coming to London in 2012," said Cameron.

"These awards celebrate the world's top sportsmen and women and highlight the incredible power of sport to make a real difference to individuals and communities around the world.

"I can't think of a better way to kick off our Olympic year."

The 2012 Awards Ceremony will be attended by the greatest names in sport and broadcast worldwide, while the award winners will be selected by the 47 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy.

"I am thrilled that we are able to bring the Laureus Awards Ceremony to London next year," said Britain's Laureus World Sports Academy member and London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe.

"We are all hoping 2012 will be one of the most memorable years for sport in this country and we hope everyone who comes to London for the Awards will get a foretaste of the excitement to come."

They are widely considered the most prestigious sporting awards on the planet and previous winners include superstars such as Usain Bolt, Roger Federer, Lewis Hamilton, Dame Kelly Holmes, Yelena Isinbayeva, Vitali Klitschko, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Zinedine Zidane.

This year's event was held in Abu Dhabi when the winners included Spain's Rafael Nadal and America's Lindsey Vonn being named as the sportsman and woman of the year respectively, Spain World Cup winning squad as the team of the year, German golfer Martin Kaymer as breakthrough of the year and Italian motorcyclist Valentino Rossi for comeback of the year. 

The guests included Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman (pictured). 


"I am overjoyed that the 2012 Laureus Awards is to be staged in London," said Edwin Moses, the double 400 metre hurdles Olympic champion and chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy.

"Sport is close to the hearts of everyone in London and the UK and that makes me very excited about bringing the Laureus Awards Ceremony to London in February."

Moses also pointed out that proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports 89 community sports projects around the world that have helped to improve the lives of more than one-and-a-half million young people since its inception.

"Laureus is already part of International Inspiration, the official legacy programme of London 2012, which is aiming to enrich the lives of 12 million children around the world by encouraging them to take part in physical education and sport and this will be yet another way we can show our support," he said.

"The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation supports 10 community projects in the UK, including four in London itself.

"As our Patron Nelson Mandela has said 'sport has the power to change the world' and we will be sending a message from London around the world to show how sport can make a difference to the lives of every one of us."

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