Panenka’s distinguished “Antonin Especial” is awarded to the Athletic Club Foundation for its social commitment and for its involvement in disseminating culture
The Athletic Club Foundation has received the “Antonin Especial” award from Panenka magazine at the awards gala held on Monday, February 7, in Barcelona. This exceptional prize is awarded to a player, coach or individual or group that has been involved in specific initiatives with one of the following aims: solidarity, the dissemination of culture, social commitment and the positive values of football. Iraia Iturregi and Ainhoa Tirapu, accompanied by director Iker Goñi and Galder Reguera, Fundazioa Project Manager, were in charge of collecting the trophy at the ceremony held at the Old Fàbrica Estrella Damm in Barcelona. Likewise, Athletic Club has sent a video of thanks to Panenka with the intervention of Íñigo Lekue, Unai Simón, Ainhoa Vicente Moraza, Iñaki Williams, Mikel Balenziaga, Erika Vázquez and Jose Angel Iribar.
Panenka highlighted the Foundation’s initiatives over the last decade and stressed the importance of the “Thinking Football Film Festival” and “Literature and Football” festivals, the “Bertsoderbia” and the “irakurLE-ON” campaign to promote reading and culture. For the Athletic Club Foundation, this award is a big tribute in the year in which it celebrates its twentieth anniversary and it is grateful for the participation of all the people and entities that have collaborated with the Foundation over the last twenty years.
According to the rules of Panenka‘s Antonin Awards, “The aim is not only to celebrate football culture, but also to honour the counterculture: those who, with little means, set themselves ambitious goals and do not allow themselves to be intimidated by the spirit of times that are sick of success. In some people’s eyes, they may seem crazy, but to us they seem like geniuses who are essential to the progress of the sport. And perhaps one of the few social role models that light up the stadium floodlights”.
