Melbourne has been announced the world's top sports city over the past decade.

Victoria's capital won the SportBusiness Ultimate Sport City of the Decade award at the organisation's 10-year anniversary awards in Switzerland on Wednesday.

Melbourne - which won the annual sports city of the year in 2006, 2008 and 2010 - beat Berlin, London, New York and Sydney to be crowned the world's sport capital.

Sports Minister John Eren welcomed the news.

'This award marks an outstanding decade of the biggest and best globally-renowned events,' he said in a statement.

'The eyes of the sporting world are on Melbourne all-year round. We have all the top-class events, and we want more of them.'

Sports fans in Melbourne are spoilt for choice. The city hosts the Australian Open Grand Slam, the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, the MotoGP and blockbuster AFL and cricket games.

The city also boasts some of Australia's most recognised stadiums - the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Etihad Stadium and AAMI Park.

The prize was awarded to the city with the 'greatest impact' over the event's existence.

Rachael Church, head judge and and founder of Ultimate Sports Cities, said she was not surprised by Melbourne's win.

'The city has been either the winner or runner up in the awards in the previous five editions of Ultimate Sports Cities and boasts a major events strategy that many other cities have since used as a best practice guide for their own strategies.

'The city has sports venues that are not only the best in the world but that are at the heart of the city, fostering a greater sense of engagement with the general public and fans when events take place.'

The annual sports city awards are judged on several categories, including venues, transportation, government support and major events strategy.

Judges also considered the events each city had held and plan to hold between 2012 and 2020.

New York was crowned the 2016 winner, beating Melbourne and London.

 

Source : dailymail.co.uk

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