CDP Awards

Contenders for the five awards subject to a public vote are first nominated by the national federation of the sport in which the athlete competes. A jury selected by the CDP then narrows down the nominees to five finalists for each award. From these finalists the winners are chosen with a weighted vote split between the public and attendees of the ceremony.^[2] In 2010, the public voting constituted 60% of the final decision with the remaining 40% determined by in-person voting of the ceremony attendees.^[3]

Federations are limited to forwarding just one candidate to be evaluated for each award; the choice of which can therefore attract media comment and criticism. In 2008 the sports newspaper Record noted the continued absence of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo from the shortlist for Sportsman of the Year, after the Portuguese Football Federation instead nominated Fernando Couto in deference to the CDP's chosen theme for 2008 of Amor à Camisola (Love of the Jersey).^[4] In 2015 the Portuguese Judo Federation caused what Record described as "perplexity in several quarters" after nominating Joana Diogo for Sportswoman of the Year over three-time winner Telma Monteiro, who had earlier that year won her fifth European title and was ranked as the highest Portuguese judoka in the world.^[5] The decision was criticised by both Diogo and her coach.^[5]