Assembled together in Oviedo, the 1997 Prince of Asturias Award Jury for Sports, comprised of Vicente Álvarez Areces, José Joaquín Brotons, Ángel Mario Carreño Rodríguez-Maribona, José María Casanovas, José Ángel Castro, Miguel Ángel Escamilla, Carlos Ferrer Salat, Julián García Candau, Luis Infante Bravo, Miguel Indurain, María del Carmen Izquierdo, Pedro Antonio Martín, Herminio Menéndez, Pedro Muñiz García, Santiago Nolla Zayas, Matías Prats Luque, José Luis Vilaseca i Guasch, Olga Viza, presided over by Juan Antonio Samaranch and with José María García acting as secretary, has decided, by a majority, to grant the 1997 Prince of Asturias Award for Sports to the Spanish marathon team, winner of the 1997 World Cup.

In granting this Award, the Jury has appraised the international scope of these athletes who, successively, have won the European Championship of 1994 (first, second, third), the 1995 world championships (Martín Fiz), the 1997 world championships (Abel Antón), and the 1997 World Cup, with Abel Antón finishing first; Martín Fiz, second; Fabián Roncero, sixth; and José Manuel García, fifteenth.

Oviedo, 9 September 1997