Solidarity Bridge Built Through Football: Cup of Resistance
Headline image: Direniş Kupası (Cup of Resistance)
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Cup of Resistance in which Asteras Exarchion from Greece, Spartakistanbul, Karadolapspor and İstanbul United (mixed team from Efendi* League and Gazoz** League) are to participate will take place at Alibeyköy Karadolap Sport Center on March 13, Sunday at 2 p.m.
Mehmet Martin, who plays for Spartakistanbul, speaking to bianet as to how the idea of such an organization came into existence said, "We had played earlier in Athens with Asteras. Afterwards, we have organized it by including the leagues in which we play here. Karadolap is already a dissident team, and our sister team. This is how this event is actualized".
As the teams underline the importance of Fair-Play in opposition to industrialized football, they are delivering messages of unity and solidarity against fascism, discrimination, racism, sexism, and hate speech.
Press statement of the organization
The organization has made the following call in its statement:
"Those who believe football is not supposed to serve fascism but peace, fraternity and friendship;
"Those who believe the game itself should be at the forefront within the frame of Fair-Play;
"Those who lend a hand to infra organizations that are carried out with the amateur spirit rather than industrial football dominated by money, and give masses opportunity of unity and collectivism;
"Those who know that footbal is beatiful not “on the stock market but on the street” and live in that way;
"Those who believe football is supposed to be a bridge of fraternity, solidarity, and peace;
"Those who say we are in all aspects of life gather at the Cup of Resistance!
"Berkin’s brothers and sisters meet with Alexis’ brothers and sisters from Greece".
Cup of Resistance teams
Astaras Exarchion
Asteras Exarchion is a Greek sports club from Exarcheia, Athens. It was founded in 1928, but competing under its current name as of 1967. The club has three active sports sections: Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball and men's football section.
About ExarcheiaExarcheia is the name of a neighborhood in downtown Athens, Greece. the region is famous as a home for Greek anarchists. It took the name from a merchant named Exarchos (Greek: Έξαρχος) who opened a large general store there. Role of Exarcheia in Greek riots The 2008 Greek riots started on 6 December 2008, when Alexandros Grigoropoulos a 15-year-old Greek student, was killed by two police officers in Exarcheia district of central Athens. The murder of a young student by police resulted in large protests and demonstrations, which escalated to widespread rioting, with numerous rioters damaging property and engaging riot police with molotov cocktails, stones and other objects. Demonstrations and rioting soon spread to several other cities, including Thessaloniki, the country's second-largest city. Outside Greece, solidarity demonstrations, riots and, in some cases, clashes with local police also took place in more than 70 cities around the world, including London, Paris, Brussels, Rome, Dublin, Berlin, Frankfurt, Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam, The Hague, Copenhagen, Bordeaux. |
Karadolapspor
Karadolapspor club’s history dates back to 1974, yet it was officially opened in 2009. It is a “different” club which is integrated with its neighborhood, and doesn’t remain indifferent to social issues.
Karadolapspor is an “other” club which is not given share from state, municipality, public spending. It is nowadays facing the danger of losing its stadium because of construction plans.
Spartakistanbul
Spartakistanbul was founded by a group of young people who say to be “captivated by fire of freedom ignited by Spartacus 2,000 years ago”. The founders consist of students who were involved in 1989 Student Movement and Coordination Movement in 1995. The team advocates a stance against nationalism, discrimination, and defends fair-play and free world.
İstanbul United (Mix of Efendi League and Gazoz League)
Gazoz League
Gazoz league is an organization that doesn’t allow active licensed player. The organization with the slogan “Football is beautiful on the streets, not on the stock market” opposes industrial football, racism, nationalism, sexism, discrimination and all sorts of hate speech.
Efendi League
Efendi League was founded based on the idea that football is always enjoyful even though it has become industrialized and instrumentalized for different purposes, and even blamed for “being an opium for the masses” in time.
The event to start on Sunday expects to see anyone willing to support the struggle against all sorts of discrimination and hate speech.
* Efendi means gentle person
** Gazoz means soda water. Soda water is widely used as a metaphor to be given to winner team at the end of the games, mostly played on the streets, because of its low price. It is a reference to desire for non-industrialized football.