Bulgarian sprinter Ivet Lalova was given the award of the International Olympic Committee for fairplay.

Every year the International Olympic Committee asked national committees to select a single sportsman eligible for such award, BGNES Sport agency said.

The main requirements of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) included specific examples of fairplay exhibited by athletes both in Bulgaria and abroad.

BOC's decision was grounded mainly on Lalova's behaviour after the June 14 2005 accident in Athens, when Lalova broke a leg. During a practice round the 22 year old sprinter was pushed by another athlete.

Lalova refused to sue the other athlete or the organisers of the sport event.

BOC said that though the incident was tragic for a young sprinter, whose career was on the uprise, Lalova acted with dignity, setting an example of fairplay.

Lalova will receive the award on June 26.