MADRID, 31 One. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, for the city’s election as the World Capital of Sport in 2022; Atlético de Madrid, champion of LaLiga Santander 2021-22; Real Madrid’s French striker Karim Benzema and LaLiga were awarded this Monday at the VI Gala of the Madrid Sports Press Association (APDM).
At the event held at the Beatriz Auditorium in Madrid, Martínez-Almeida received, from the hands of former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, recognition for the election, last June, of Madrid as World Capital of Sport 2022, an appointment that will result in the international diffusion of sport and the ‘Madrid’ brand.
A well-known fan of Atlético de Madrid, Martínez-Almeida received the APDM honorary membership card in 2021 for his links with sport and with journalism specializing in this type of information.
Likewise, the Madrid sports journalists also honored former Real Madrid international center Felipe Reyes for his successful career and “his contribution” to the sport of basketball, and taekwondo athlete Adriana Cerezo, silver and first Spanish medal at Tokyo 2020.
The World Football Summit, the international congress on the football industry, has also been considered by the APDM as the best sporting event of 2021. The sports psychologist Pablo del Río, who has worked at the CAR in Madrid with champions such as Carolina Marín; the Olympic team, silver at the 2020 Games -with coach Luis de la Fuente raising the award-, and the Spanish Paralympic Committee (CPE), for the 36 medals in Tokyo, have also been awarded.
The event also recognized LaLiga for its “accurate logistics” that allowed the 2020-21 season to be played “normally” despite the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, an award collected by Óscar Mayo, Executive Director of The league.
One of the most emotional moments of the day was the award ceremony, posthumously and received by his family, to the journalist and soccer player Carlos Matallanas, for his courage in facing the fight against the ALS disease. The Madrid Municipal Police was also recognized for its work in holding the various events and sporting events that took place in the Spanish capital.
Thus, the VI edition of the Madrid Sports Press Association Gala has recognized the contribution made in favor of sport during 2021 by all the agents involved in this activity such as athletes, companies, entities, clubs and journalists.
The board of directors of the APDM is made up of José Damián González, president; Carmen Colino and Gaspar Díez, vice presidents; Juan Gato, treasurer; Gema Hassen-Bey, Paco Grande, Paco García Caridad, Alejandro Alcázar, José Félix Díaz, Fernando Peinado and Sofía Martín as members; and Juan Manuel Merino, as secretary. Luis Villarejo and Raúl Cancio are advisers to the president.