1. Fabrice Muamba
"I thank God that I am alive and I pay tribute once again to the members of the medical team who never gave up on me" When compiling the list of sporting achievements throughout this year, the numerous titles won, medals awarded and records broken, the real image of sport in 2012 that sticks in my mind was one of immense sadness, that would soon transform into great relief and delight. I was watching the FA Cup match between Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur on TV on the 17th of March, which had barely begun when the camera spotted the incident, which left the thousands in attendance at the stadium and the millions watching at home in complete and utter shock and worry. Fabrice Muamba, a former Arsenal and Birmingham player, lay motionless on the pitch, having suffered from a cardiac arrest. Medical personnel rushed onto the pitch, including a cardiologist attending as a fan, to try and desperately revive the stricken midfielder, whilst the match was abandoned and everybody waited for news, fearing the worst. Miraculously, despite his heart having stopped for 78 minutes, Muamba gradually was able to recover, and only a month after the terrible event, he was discharged from hospital. Muamba returned to the Reebok stadium in early May, receiving a much-deserved standing ovation from the crowd, as Muamba cried at the overwhelming emotion of the support he received. Whilst this placement of Muamba at the top of this list is not exactly for sporting reasons, it is in acknowledgement of the fact that sport fans, though full of heated rivalry and assertive competition, can be united over a single incident in realisation that there is more to life than football and sport in general. This was a real person in a real situation, and for a short while at least it joined fans of all teams in a common bond to see Muamba recover. Although he will probably never play football again, Muamba will always have the respect of fans worldwide.
Standout Moment of 2012: Receiving a standing ovation at the Reebok Stadium prior to Bolton's match with Tottenham Hotspur following his recovery from cardiac arrest. Did we miss anyone you think should have qualified as one of the year's sporting heroes? Share your own picks below.