The Fundación Málaga CF EDI team, better known in the city as Málaga Genuine, has been awarded with the ‘M de Málaga’ award, that the provincial government presents annually in commemoration of Andalucía Day.
The entire team, together with Sebastián Fernández Reyes ‘Basti’, from the MCF Foundation’s Social Department attended the Edgar Neville Auditorium to collect this award for being an example of how “sport can also become a vehicle of integration and how football can break barriers and advocate diversity”.
“It’s an honour and pleasure to win the ‘M de Málaga’ from the Diputación. It’s an honour to receive it especially for the work the Genuines are doing, as we call them. It’s a joy to see them playing and having fun. Sport transmits values and that’s what we want for them”, said ‘Basti’ to MCFTV.
The event, organised to mark Andalucía Day (28th February), was attended by a wide representation of the Blue and Whites’ Club, headed up by advisers, Francisco Martín Aguilar and Abdullah Ben Barek; sports director, José Luis Pérez Caminero; assistant sports director, Juan Rodríguez; and former Malaguista player and Academy scout, Sergio Paula Barbosa Valente ‘Duda’.
At an institutional level, the Andalusian government was represented by the government delegate of the Junta de Andalucía in Málaga, Patricia Navarro; president of the Diputación provincial, Francisco Salado; and mayor of the city, Francisco de la Torre.
Statements by the president of the Diputación, Francisco Salado
“I love that the Diputación is one of the sponsors of the Málaga Genuine team. A team full of stars whose main strength is the heart. I believe Málaga Genuine and the Málaga CF Foundation are a beautiful model that we should replicate in all regions”.
More award winners
As well as the Blue and Whites’ squad, engineer Raquel Serrano and her company FIIXIT, Onda Cero, and the puppet theatre Peneque el Valiente also won awards.
The prize-giving ceremony of the ‘M’ de Málaga awards came to a close with an interpretation of the Andalusian and Spanish anthems, as well as photographs of the award winners with the representatives from the Andalusian and Málaga institutions.
