The head of the Indigenous Basketball Association of Mexico (ABIM), Sergio Zúñiga, and the representative of the Triqui children, Dylan Ramírez, arrived to the Russian city of Kazan in order to receive the Fair Play International, awarded to the children from the state of Oaxaca who became famous with their game skills and shoeless playing.

The International Fair Play Committee will award them the prize on Saturday, and in the meantime, Zúñiga and Ramírez are giving conferences and basically sharing their life experiences.

“When the media and Russia and other countries interviewed me, they could not believe what it took to start and maintain this project. In the end, I showed them a picture of the Triqui community and they were surprised,” according to Zúñiga.

The Mexican team was nominated after they won the International Basketball Festival 2013, held in Córdoba, Argentina.

The children play with no shoes, since that’s how they learned play the game.

When they return to Mexico, they will receive an award from the Mexican Olympic Committee, and will play a game against the national basketball team, headed by Gustavo Ayón, from the Atlanta Hawks.