FATİH KARAGÜMRÜK SPOR KULÜBÜ
FATİH KARAGÜMRÜK SPORTS CLUB
In addition to several sports clubs previously established in Istanbul, the activities of neighborhood clubs that began to open in the early years of the Republic attracted great attention, especially in football.
In Karagümrük, one of Istanbul’s oldest districts, footballs began appearing in vacant lots about 56 years ago. The young people of Karagümrük soon started playing competitive matches as two separate groups.
One group consisted of the Acıçeşme youth, and the other of the Karagümrük youth. The matches between these two teams were highly competitive and drew great interest.
Cemil, Mahmut Ali, Alaettin, Abdullah, Mustafa İzmirli, Rahmi, Lemi, Hamza, Bahri, Nazmi, Kadri, Foti, Aleko, Uzun Tahir, Bedri, Davut, Rüstem, Berber Sadık, Canip, Avni, Sami…
These young players, who were part of separate teams, wanted to compete with neighborhood clubs nearby. Believing that it wasn’t right for a large district to be represented by separate teams, they decided—through mediation and their own desire—to unite under one club.
Thanks to the understanding and unity shown by members of both groups, they managed to move beyond casual neighborhood games and gather around an organized sports club.
Those who worked for the merger and led the youth were: from the Karagümrük group, Abdullah, Mustafa İzmirli, and Cemil; and from the Acıçeşme group, Alaettin, Nazmi, Bedri, and Minareci İzzet.
With the help of Muhtar Bey, an unforgettable figure of Karagümrük, in the spring of 1926, the youth collected money among themselves and rented a local venue on İşkembeci Malik Street. After completing the official procedures, Karagümrük Sports Club (Karagümrük İdman Yurdu) was formally established. Arnavut Fevzi Efendi was elected as the club’s first president.
TRAINING FIELD
The Atatürk Olympic Stadium Training Field was renovated in 2015 and transformed into an IAAF Class II Athletics Complex.
Located on a total area of 240,929 m², it includes a 400m competition track and a 200m training/warm-up track.
Within the facility, there are 1,000 spectator seats, 84 VIP seats, 39 media seats, as well as Media, VIP, Competition Management, Photo Finish, IT Center, Technical Delegate Room, Doping Control Room, Locker Rooms, Weight Center, and Technical Information Center — all designed in accordance with IAAF standards.
