LaLiga wins Madrid Sports Press Asociation award

The Madrid Sports Press Association (APDM) held its First Annual Gala at the Cecilio Rodriguez Gardens Pavilion in El Retiro Park today, Monday. LaLiga president Javier Tebas was in attendance, as were Celia Mayer, the head of Madrid City Council’s Department for Culture and Sport, Jose Damian Gonzalez, president of the APDM, and a host of personalities from the world of sport, including Milinko Pantic, the Liga BBVA ambassador, Sergio Llull and Pablo Laso, of Real Madrid Basketball, and Lola Romero and Amanda Sampedro, of Atletico Madrid Women. 

The APDM, an association which gathers together the majority of Spanish journalists whose work focuses on sport, both in the printed press, as well as on radio and television, handed out awards to sportsmen and women, clubs, sporting bodies, institutions, companies and journalists who have stood out with their contributions to excellence in sport. 

Javier Tebas, the president of LaLiga, picked up the Global Marketing Strategy award, which was presented to him by Alfredo Relaño, the editor of the newspaper As. Relaño acknowledged the well-directed and successful global marketing strategy of LaLiga with the opening of regional offices in different parts of the world and the appointment of famous former footballers as ambassadors of the competition. "This award really goes to all of the clubs in LaLiga. Also to the journalists of Madrid – everything they publish in the media reaches the whole world. Thank you all for helping us to continue a project as enthralling as LaLiga," said Javier Tebas during his speech. 

The First Annual Gala of the APDM began with a moving posthumous tribute to the late journalist Gaspar Rosety, who passed away on Sunday 6 March at the age of 57, before proceeding with the presentation of the rest of the awards. 

Rayo Vallecano were the first to receive an accolade. The APDM acknowledged the social work performed by the club with the presentation of the Solidarity and Fair Play award. Next up were Lola Romero, president of Atletico Madrid Women, and Amanda Sampedro, the captain of the Rojiblancos, who picked up the Breakout Team award for the historic feat of qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time. 

The Bettering Oneself through Sport award went to the triathlete Eva del Moral, who set an example with her fight and sacrifice following the accident which she suffered. Sportium, one of the official sponsors of LaLiga, received the Commitment to Sport award for its continued commitment to and investment in sport. The Mutua Madrid Open was recognised as the Best Sporting Event and Acciona was handed the award for R&D Applied to Sport for its research work. Furthermore, Real Madrid Basketball snapped up two awards for their great season. The first was for Best Team, and the other one went to their coach, Pablo Laso, who was named Best Coach. 

To conclude the proceedings, the APDM paid tribute to Jose Angel de la Casa’s career spanning over 30 years by presenting him with the Professional Career award.