LaLiga and its Global Partners BKT Tires and PUMA extend support to Anantapur Rural Football League to promote youth football in India

New Delhi

In an effort to promote youth football in India, LaLiga and its global partners, BKT Tires and PUMA have extended their support to the Anantapur Rural Football League. Coming together to donate face masks to the students and staff who are a part of the League, the move is reflective of LaLiga’s commitment to promoting grassroots development of football in India. The top-flight Spanish league has been working with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation with the aim of developing football in the most deprived communities of Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, India. The initiative was carried out keeping in mind the health and safety requirements due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of resources in such disadvantaged regions.

 

The joint initiative, started in 2018, by LaLiga Foundation, LaLiga women’s football department and the Vicente Ferrer Foundation provides the opportunity to play football and receive education to over 3000 boys and girls, between the ages of 11 and 19, in Anantapur. The captain of LaLiga club, Real Betis women, Irene Guerrero visited Andhra Pradesh in 2018 to run an interactive workshop for three days for the young players and coaches, marking the first time an international woman footballer visited Anantapur. Through the programme, developed by Anantapur Sports Academy, exchange of knowledge, training and methodologies is done for the coaches and players. Despite the pandemic, they have been able to continue working with the aim of empowering the rural population through socio-sports training and promoting gender equality and integration through football. In this sense, these entities have collaborated in the continuity of a non-residential academy for 35 girls.

 

Speaking about the initiative, Jose Antonio Cachaza, Managing Director – India, LaLiga, said, “We have been working with Vicente Ferrer Foundation for the Anantapur project since over three years now. The enthusiasm with which the students and coaches have responded and their outstanding progress is very inspiring. The pandemic created a massive disruption in the sporting ecosystem the past 18 months, and as things are starting to go back to normal, it is still important to be vigilant about health and safety. Our global partners BKT, which is an Indian company, and PUMA are also in aligned with our commitment, and thus we made this small gesture for the youth in Anantapur.” 

 

During last season, the Rural League continued to be held, reaching over 3,000 boys and girls participating in the sporting activities. Likewise, training actions were jointly developed both in person and virtually, training referees, trainers, and young players. Work was also carried out to reinforce the digitalisation process necessary to continue the integral development of the children of the Anantapur Sports Academy with a computer room. With the aim of mitigating the devastating effects of COVID, LaLiga's Women's Football Department and the LaLiga FOUNDATION collaborated with a donation of €20,000 to contribute to the development of the urgent actions carried out by the Vicente Ferrer Foundation in April.

 

LaLiga announced its global partnerships with BKT Tires and PUMA in 2019, with shared synergies with both the companies in their vision for growth. With millions of fans watching LaLiga, every season, these partnerships allow BKT Tires, PUMA and LaLiga to increase fan engagement and build brand awareness across markets in the world. LaLiga’s Global Partners support various different initiatives LaLiga undertakes in different markets, like the one with Anantapur Rural Football League.