IMM President İmamoğlu Started Distributing Equipment to Amateur Sports Clubs

News: OKTAY YILDIRIM – Camera: UMUT EMRE GÖKBULUT

(İSTANBUL) – Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu started the distribution of equipment worth 61 million TL to 1,350 amateur sports clubs operating in 20 branches. İmamoğlu said, “Amateur sports clubs are the first and most basic institutions of our Olympic goal. If they develop, we will have reached the spirit of Olympics. If they provide really good training, then we will prepare a beautiful Olympics for the world in 2036… We see the future of a resilient and strong society in children and generations who do sports. We stand by you all.”

IMM organized a ceremony to distribute equipment to 1,350 amateur sports clubs operating in 20 branches. The ceremony held at the IMM Cebeci Sports Complex was held with the participation of IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu. The ceremony, which also included CHP Party Assembly member Cem Aydın, featured colorful scenes with gymnastics, basketball and dance shows.

Drawing attention to the fact that Istanbul is a very important sports city and that this feature is a source of inspiration for children and young people all around Turkey, İmamoğlu said, “We love sports very much. As much as we love sports very much, we attach great importance not only to raising an athletic youth here, but also to being able to contribute at the highest level to our children and young people’s ability to do sports throughout their lives, as administrators who think healthily and want them to be successful throughout their lives, knowing how much sports contribute to the mental development of our children and young people in particular.”

“We act with systematic work”

Reminding that Istanbul will host the 2027 European Games, İmamoğlu spoke as follows:

“Our aim is to create a sports policy to carry our city and country to the top ranks in the world in the Olympic and Paralympic games, to develop scientific, technical and services in the process of training athletes and to be a pioneer in this regard, to eliminate the deficiencies in Turkey’s sports policies, to convey to every segment of society that sports are above politics, sports are a way of life, and sports are one of the most important work processes in order to ‘raise smart, agile and intelligent generations’ as Atatürk said. We act with this awareness and this systematic work in order to carry our country’s successes in sports and infrastructure to the highest level and to make the strongest signatures in those international organizations.”

“We increased the number of sports facilities from 51 to 75”

Stating that they have made great strides in the field of facilities and athlete training since they took office in 2019, İmamoğlu continued his words as follows:

“While IMM provided sports services in 51 facilities, we increased this number to 75. We also opened facilities specific to water sports and athletics during this period. We have offered 7 new facilities to our people and athletes just since the beginning of the year. We have completed and opened 35 new halls, the construction of which started in school gardens, to service. We have also completed the projects of 15 new halls. We have started the construction of 8 of them and aim to offer them to the service of both our students and our people in a very short time. We are also continuing the construction of 7 new sports facilities with different areas such as football fields, swimming pools, and water sports centers. We have increased the quality and participation level of sports organizations and competitions organized by IMM. We organize international and national events, especially the Istanbul Marathon and Half Marathon, which are attended by the world’s best athletes and attract great interest from our people, by developing them every year. We have introduced many events such as Ulugazi Oil Wrestling, the Tour Istanbul International Cycling Race consisting of different stages, and the Golden Horn International Rowing Race to Istanbulites for the first time. We have made significant contributions to the organization of major events such as Formula 1, UEFA Champions League Final, Intercontinental Bosphorus Swimming Race and European Athletics Indoor Championships in the best possible way, of which we are a stakeholder.

“The support we have provided since we took office will exceed 130 million TL”

By contributing to the strengthening of amateur sports and sports clubs, we aim to increase the successes achieved by Istanbul in sports. In 2024, we will provide equipment support to a total of 1,350 amateur sports clubs, 950 in football and 400 in other branches. This year, we will distribute equipment worth approximately 61 million TL. Thus, the support we have provided to our amateur clubs since we took office will exceed 130 million TL. This year, we will distribute 215,350 pieces of equipment in 45 different items in 20 branches. We stand by our amateur sports clubs not only with equipment support but also with sports facility support. We allocate our stadiums, football fields, and sports facilities to our amateur sports clubs and host both their training and competitions. We support our clubs and athletes in 25 facilities, including 13 stadiums, 4 football fields, 1 athletics track, 1 ice rink, 1 gym, and 5 water sports centers. Thousands of athletes from 255 clubs train and compete in these facilities.”

“We are with you all”

“Amateur sports clubs are the first and most starting point institutions of our Olympic goal,” said Ekrem Mamoğlu, and concluded his words by saying, “If they develop, we will have attained the spirit of Olympics. If they provide truly good training, then we will prepare a beautiful Olympics for the world in 2036. Preparing the Olympics, having the spirit of Olympics means having a modern society, a healthy society. This means both mental health, physical health and mind health. Such a society will never collapse, it will be resilient and enduring. We see the future of a resilient and enduring society precisely in children and generations that do sports. We stand by you all.”