Viewers of BBC television in Britain have overwhelmingly voted the former boxer, Muhammad Ali, sports personality of the century, ahead of such rivals as the Brazilian footballer Pele and the late American athlete Jesse Owens.

Ali won the World Heavyweight Championship three times, and earned respect around the world both for his unique talent and for his stand against racial oppression and the Vietnam War -- he was stripped of his title for refusing to join the United States Army.

His conversion to Islam, and change of name from Cassius Clay, made him particularly popular in the Muslim world.

Ali now has Parkinson's disease -- but joked at the award ceremony about making a boxing comeback. The new undisputed World Heavyweight Champion, Lennox Lewis of Britain, was voted Sports Personality of the Year.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service