Paris creates the Aramburú Prize to honor action against racism in sport

As the trial over Federico Martín Aramburú’s killing begins in Paris, the city has announced a prize intended to keep the Argentine rugby player’s memory alive through sport.

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said the annual award would recognize a club, association or athlete committed to fighting racism in sport. The prize will highlight people who use sport to change practices, support victims and turn competition into a tool for equality and empowerment.

Aramburú, a former captain of Argentina’s Los Pumas and Biarritz Olympique, left a lasting mark on French rugby and won two championships there. He was shot dead outside a Paris bar on March 19, 2022, at the age of 42, in an attack involving far-right militants.

The award will be open to active and retired athletes, teams, groups, coaches, referees and others directly involved in sport. Its creators describe sport as a force that brings people together across origins and backgrounds, while transmitting values of respect, solidarity and fraternity. The first ceremony will take place on March 19, 2027.