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'This is a joke': Dylan Alcott cops staggering snub on global stage

Dylan Alcott, pictured here being farewelled at the Australian Open after his retirement.
Dylan Alcott is farewelled at the Australian Open after his retirement. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Dylan Alcott has somehow been overlooked in the shortlist for the Laureus sportsperson of the year with a disability award.

Laureas announced the finalists for their prestigious awards on Wednesday in the categories of sportsman and woman of the year, team of the year, breakthrough of the year, comeback of the year, sportsperson with a disability, action sportsperson, and the 'sport for good' award.

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Tennis star Ash Barty and swimming champion Emma McKeon were announced as finalists for the sportswoman of the year award, while fellow swimmer Ariarne Titmus is up for the 'breakthrough of the year' award.

However fans were gobsmacked to learn that Alcott had been overlooked for sportsperson of the year with a disability.

The wheelchair tennis champion completed the 'golden slam' in 2021, winning all four grand slam titles and an Olympic gold medal.

However his achievements were seemingly overlooked by a panel of 1300 sports journalists who voted on the awards.

The shortlist for the sportsperson with a disability award includes Dutch wheelchair tennis player Diede de Groot, who also achieved the same 'golden slam' in 2021.

Japan's wheelchair tennis World No.1 Shingo Kunieda, Swiss Paralympian Marcel Hug, Dutch paracyclist Jetze Plat, Spanish paralympian Susana Rodriguez, and British paralympian Susana Storey make up the rest of the nominees.

Kuniedia won the US Open in his class in 2021, as well as three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Hug won four gold in Tokyo, Plat and Storey won three, while Rodriguez won one.

While not taking anything away from the other nominees, fans were gobsmacked that Alcott was overlooked.

Three Australians up for prestigious Laureus awards

Barty and McKeon could become the first Australian athlete since Cathy Freeman to win the award for sportswoman of the year.

Freeman took the honour in 2001, following her heroics at the previous year's Sydney Olympics where she won the 400 metres at her home Games.

Barty produced a stellar 2021 campaign, holding the World No.1 ranking all year while taking out the Wimbledon crown among five other titles around the world.

McKeon won four gold and three bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympics, tying gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya for most medals ever won by a woman in a single Games.

Cate Campbell, Emma McKeon and Ariarne Titmus, pictured here showing off their medals after the Tokyo Olympics.
Cate Campbell, Emma McKeon and Ariarne Titmus show off their medals after the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)

The Australian pair face tough competition from Jamaican sprint queen Elaine Thompson-Herah, American track legend Allyson Felix, US swimming superstar Katie Ledecky and Spain's Ballon d'Or-winning footballer Alexia Putellas.

On the men's side, NFL champion Tom Brady was announced on the shortlist 24 hours after announcing his retirement.

The seven-time Super Bowl winner is nominated alongside Novak Djokovic, who won three tennis grand slam titles in 2021, Formula One champ Max Verstappen, Kenyan marathon king Eliud Kipchoge, US quintuple Tokyo gold medalist swimmer Caeleb Dressel and Ballon d'Or-winning striker Robert Lewandowski.

Titmus will face competition for the 'breakthrough' award from tennis stars Daniil Medvedev and Emma Raducanu, India's Olympic javelin champ Neeraj Chopra, Spanish footballer Pedri and world record-breaking triple jumper Yulimar Rojas.

The team of the year award will be contested by three football teams in the Argentina and Italy men's national sides and the Barcelona women's side, as well as the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.

with AAP

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