Livia López
Livia López | |
|---|---|
| City Councillor of Vitoria-Gasteiz | |
| Assumed office 2019 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Livia Claudia López Gutiérrez 11 April 1979 Bilbao, Spain |
| Party | Basque Nationalist |
| Occupation | Basketball player, politician |
| Basketball career | |
| Personal information | |
| Listed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
Livia Claudia López Gutiérrez (born 11 April 1979) is a Spanish retired basketball player and former president of the Araski AES women's basketball club. Since 2019, she has been a city councillor in Vitoria-Gasteiz. She is the niece of former player Juanma López Iturriaga.
Early life
Livia López was born in Bilbao on 11 April 1979.[1]
Sports career
Livia López played for several teams in the capital of Álava for almost two decades. She began her career with two seasons at the San Martín school team (1992–1994). At 15, she started her second year of cadet football at Araba, remaining with the club for two more seasons as a junior and another two at the national level.[1][2]
In 1999, her group of friends left Araba. For a year, she played futsal for the Valdegovia team, but basketball remained a part of her life, and on 15 May 2001, she founded the club Abaroa. López played at the national level for every season except her last, when she played for the senior team.[2]
In 2010, UPV-Alava and Abaroa merged to create Araski AES. López only played the 2014-2015 season for the senior team, then called Viajes Bidasoa Araski.[2]
In a 2016 interview, she stated that "Araski aims to be a role model for girls and female players throughout the region," and "Throughout my sporting career, my constant goal was to improve, to learn how to be a better player and, above all, a better person. For me, the atmosphere within the teams was paramount, and in fact, throughout my playing career, I was often involved in efforts to create the best possible atmosphere among the players and with the coaches."[3]
Management career
In 2001, she founded the club Abaroa, managed by the players and chaired by López. It started with just one team in a league and ended the 2009–2010 season with a structure consisting of two cadet teams, one junior team, one senior team, and two teams in the national league. She left the court to found the Women's Association and Sports Group of Basketball Araski Arabako Emakumeen Saskibaloia (Araski AES), together with Madelén Urieta and others.[4][5]
Political career
López was recruited by the Basque Nationalist Party to be part of its electoral list for the 2019 municipal elections.[6] She obtained a seat and was appointed councillor for sport and health.[7][8]
Other professional activities
López was one of the producers of the ETB 2 program Conquistour in 2012.[9]
Awards and recognition
- El Correo Award for the best sports figures of 2008[10]
- Vitoria City Council 2012 Promotion of Women's Sports Award[11]
- Association of Professional and Businesswomen of Álava (AMPEA) 2013 Women's Executive Award[12]
- Tribute from the Araski AES Club for her dedication, 9 April 2016[13]
References
- ^ a b "Personal e Intrasferible con Livia López" [Personal and Non-Transferable with Livia López] (in Spanish). Araski AES. 4 May 2010. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ a b c "15 años en la gestión del basket femenino" [15 Years in the Management of Women's Basketball]. Diario de Noticias de Álava (in Spanish). Vitoria. 10 April 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ Junguitu, Maitane (30 November 2016). "Livia López 'Araski pretende ser un referente para las niñas'" [Livia López: "Araski Aims to be a Role Model for Girls"]. enCancha (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ "El homenaje a Livia López, alma de Araski" [A Tribute to Livia López, the Soul of Araski] (in Spanish). DXTFem Alava. 10 April 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ "Presentación del nuevo Araski para la temporada 2015-16" [Presentation of the New Araski for the 2015–16 Season] (in Spanish). DXTFem Alava. 2 September 2015. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ Berdonces, Juan Carlos (17 January 2019). "El PNV 'ficha' a la presidenta del Araski, Livia López, para la lista municipal" [The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) Has Signed Livia López, President of Araski, for its Municipal List]. El Correo (in Spanish). Logroño. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ Gatón, Natxo (14 June 2019). "Gorka Urtaran es reelegido alcalde de Vitoria-Gasteiz" [Gorka Urtaran is Reelected Mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz]. Gasteiz Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ "Kirol Park llega este domingo al parque de Salburua con una jornada de multiactividad" [Kirol Park Arrives This Sunday at Salburua Park With a Multi-Activity Day] (in Spanish). Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council. 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ Goñi Josu Chávarri, Andrés (14 October 2015). "Los partidos del Araski dan la vuelta al mundo" [Araski's Matches Go Around the World]. Diario de Noticias de Álava (in Spanish). Vitoria. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ Martín, J. P. (28 January 2019). "Con la élite" [With the Elite]. El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ "El Ayuntamiento anuncia a sus galardonados en la XIX Gala del Deporte Alavés" [The City Council Announces its Award Winners at the 19th Alavés Sports Gala] (in Spanish). Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ "Livia López, presidenta del Araski, premio mujer directiva de Álava 2013" [Livia López, President of Araski, Winner of the 2013 Álava Women's Executive Award] (in Spanish). Spanish Basketball Federation. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ Goñi J. Chavarri, Andrés; Gómez, J. R. (10 April 2016). "Deuda saldada" [Debt Paid]. Diario de Noticias de Álava (in Spanish). Vitoria. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2025.