Eczacibasi VitrA celebrated their 50th anniversary at a gala in Istanbul this week.
Lausanne, Switzerland, September 29, 2016 - Defending world champions Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul are headed to Manila next month for the 2016 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship carrying with them the maturity and wisdom that comes with turning 50.
Current and former players, techincal staff and club administrators got together in Istanbul together with leading members of Turkey's sports world this week to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary in an evening full of personal memories, representing a poignant and joyful journey to the past for many of the guests.
The evening also featured a first screening of the Eczacibasi Group's new sports-related equal opportunities clip "That Woman Is Me", which builds on the Group's earlier initiative to recognize and support the important contribution of women to business life.
"That Woman Is Me" video clip."This evening represents the accumulation of 50 years, and being able to experience this atmosphere makes me much prouder than being a champion," said Eczacibasi Sports Club President Faruk Eczacibasi, who noted that the club's international acclaim reflected its team spirit as much as its performance.
Also attending the gala was Turkey Volleyball Federation President Ozkan Mutlugil, who thanked the Eczacibasi Sports Club for its contribution to Turkish volleyball and presented plaques to Faruk Eczacibasi and Bulent Eczacibasi, the Group's chairman.
Eczacibasi, founded in 1966, won their first world title last year in Zurich, beating Dinamo Krasnodar in the final. They have won 28 domestic league titles in Turkey, as well as a European Champions League in 2015 and the European CEV Cup in 1999.
Highlights of the 2015 FIVB Club World Championship final between Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul and Dinamo Krasnodar.Six of their players excelled at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games last month: Tijana Boskovic and Maja Ognjenovic of Serbia, Jordan Larson and Rachael Adams of USA, Tatiana Kosheleva of Russia and Thaisa Menezes of Brazil.
They now look ahead to Manila, where they hope to start their second half-century as well as they finished the first.
Quick links:FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship Manila 2016 - WebsiteFIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship Manila 2016 - ScheduleFIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship Manila 2016 - Teams