Former AS Monaco striker Sonny Anderson will return to the Principality this month, chairing the jury for the 2026 Sportel Awards.
The Brazilian footballer played for AS Monaco from 1994 to 1997, and now takes on a new role as President of the seven-member jury responsible for selecting this year’s standout works in sports broadcasting, imagery, and storytelling.
Anderson had a successful career during his time in France, winning three French league titles and finishing as Ligue 1’s top scorer three times. His return brings a familiar face to Monaco for an event celebrating the relationship between sport and media for over thirty years. Joining Anderson on the jury will be figures from both sides of that relationship.
Elite sport will be represented by World and European handball champion and Olympic silver medallist Siraba Dembélé-Pavlovic, Cameroonian international footballer and Champion for Peace with Monaco-based Peace and Sport Nicolas Nkoulou, and Monegasque open-water swimmer Lisa Pou, who recently claimed bronze in the 10km at the 2025 World Championships.
Enduro and Freeride mountain biker and filmmaker Kilian Bron will join them, alongside award-winning sports photographer Catherine Steenkeste, and Georges Mohammed-Chérif, President and Chief Creative Officer of creative agency Buzzman.
Bron will represent the French National Olympic and Sports Committee on the jury, while Pou will represent the Monaco Olympic Committee.
MORE THAN THREE DECADES OF SPORTING STORYTELLING
Created in 1990, the Sportel Awards recognise productions and images capturing some of the most memorable moments in sport. The programme includes the Golden Podiums, honouring directors and producers behind outstanding sporting sequences, as well as the Renaud de Laborderie Book Prize, recognising a significant publication dedicated to sport.
The jurors will now review this year’s entries and determine which will receive the competition’s honours. The winners will be revealed in Monaco on 19th October as the Sportel Awards ceremony takes place at 7pm at the Grimaldi Forum.
Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo by Monaco Life