Dec 16, 2025
3 min read
The organizational event was attended by Mayor Almudena Negro;sports advisor, Oscar Fernandez;and several councilors of the local board; This Saturday, an emotional double tribute was paid in the City Sports Center: Mr. Jose Antonio Murro and the Golden Generation of Spanish basketball.
On the one hand, the Municipal Sports Center was renamed "Jose Antonio Mar Capello Sports Center" in honor of the "Sports Architect", expressed by the Mayor when referring to the honor of Jose Mar, who dedicated 40 years of his professional life to work tirelessly for the benefit of sports from various positions of responsibility.On the other hand, on Saturday at the Sports Center, the "Golden Generation of Spanish Basketball" was also honored, thus naming it the great pavilion of the Municipal Sports Center.
It is a city in Madrid where basketball has become a particularly popular sport in recent decades and for which many residents have a passion.This is what the young sportsmen saw from the stands and listened to the anecdotes and advice of the honorable sportsmen and leaders.
This local hobby is due in large part to the work of José Antonio Moore, co-founder of the basketball club - among many other works related to the game - as well as to the example of the legendary Golden Generation. In an event next to the pavilion, the "Golden Generation of Spanish Basketball" was represented by Garbajosa, Felipe Reyes and Pepu Hernandez;Among other glories of that game.
"Sports Architect"
The most emotional moment of the day was provided by José Antonio Moore, a key figure in the development of municipal sports over four decades (1981–2021).The mayor called Moore an "architect" who transformed local sports, noting his ability to promote "teamwork, patience and respect."
"Today, by naming the sports center after you, we not only celebrate your achievements, but also ensure that your legacy lives on through time," Negro said."This place will be a place where dreams and friendships will continue to accumulate and where healthy lifestyles will be promoted for new generations, who will know from now on that everything was created with you," he added.
Surrounded by his family, Mur delivers the most solemn speech of the afternoon.After reviewing his beginnings in 1981, when he was hired by the then mayor - Serapio Calvo - to run the city's sports department."Not devoting more time to my family is the only thing I can regret" before thanking "Samnang" for being able to work in his hometown all his life.
The IINEF Alumni Association in Madrid was also present at the events, represented by Ana María Valenti;the club that, from its website, congratulated its member from X class 76/80, José Antonio Mur.
The secret to success is friendship
Another highlight is the prize for the golden generation of Spanish basketball;The generation of Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Felipe Reyes, Rudy Fernández, Marc Gasol, Sergio Rodríguez, Jorge Garbajosa, Ricky Rubio and other athletes who have shone and risen in the Spanish basketball ranks.
"What better way to name the pavilion, where our basketball club plays, than to remember these athletes who made history," said the member of the sports council, Óscar Fernández.
There was a luxurious representation at the event: Jorge Garbajosa (FIBA Europe President), Elisa Aguilar (FEB President), former coach Pepu Hernández and legends such as Felipe Reyes or Marta Fernández, as well as Emiliano Rodríguez, Fernando Romay and Sandra Ygueravide.
During the interview, the protagonists revealed that the key to their global and European successes was not only talent, but coexistence."We were like a family," said Felipe Reyes.
In his speech, Jorge Garbajosa sent a message to the current youth team: "The greatest legacy we can leave behind is not medals, it's culture."Competing out of friendship is what made us champions."
Pepu wanted to highlight the path taken by Hernández, remembering how they came from a "humble school" to compete and beat the best powers in the world, parallel to the spirit of progress experienced at local clubs in the Torrelodones.
"May this pavilion be connected to you. It is not only a tribute to a golden generation, but also a commitment to excellence and today it is a commitment to the future of sport, a symbol of what can be achieved with passion and commitment."That's what the mayor concluded after recognizing all the athletes who practice some discipline in Torrelondons that day.
The president of the FEB, Elisa Aguilar, emphasized that "passion and motivation are behind all the awards. Let this name be an encouragement and inspiration to everyone here. For his part, Garbajosa said that "with full respect for other sports, if you talk about people, they think about basketball."
