Full name Kurtuluş Spor Kulübü Website Club home page | Chairman Konstantin Belalidis | |
 | ||
Founded January 1, 1896; 121 years ago (1896-01-01)
as İraklis Jimnastik Kulübü | ||
Kurtuluş SK is a sports club of Kurtuluş, Şişli district, Istanbul, Turkey. It is the still existing oldest sports club in Turkey.
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History
Kurtuluş SK was founded under the name "İraklis Jimnastik Kulübü" by local Greeks in 1896. It was one of the major Greek sports clubs in Istanbul, while from 1910 to 1922 it was one of the clubs that undertook the organization of the Pan-Constantinopolitan games (Games organized among the Greek clubs of the city).
In 1906 two athletes of the club, the brothers Georgios and Nikolaos Alimbrandis won gold medals in the Intercalated Olympic Games in Athens, in horizontal bar and rope climbing respectively.
During the 1930s, the club intensified the efforts in the field of sports with the foundation of basketball, volleyball, cycling, athletics and other sports departments. Competent athletes from these departments were distinguished in local and international sports events. The club played Turkish Basketball League between 1966 and 1968.