The Disabled Week Sports Events, which have become a tradition by Spor Istanbul, a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), were held with great enthusiasm this year at the IMM Pendik Çamlık Sports Facility with the participation of approximately 3 thousand people. The track work and exhibition matches organized throughout the events allowed disabled and non-disabled athletes to get along and have fun together.
Thousands of Athletes and Their Families Came Together
The meaningful event, organized with the coordination of IMM Youth and Sports Services Department, IMM Sports Facilities Branch Directorate, IMM ÖZGEM and IMM Sports Istanbul, was brought to life within the scope of May 10-16 World Disability Week. The event, which took place at IMM Pendik Çamlık Sports Facility, was attended by 4 disabled athletes aged 500 and above, 500 non-disabled athletes and the families of the athletes, and approximately 3 thousand people. The most striking feature of the event was that mixed teams were formed from disabled and non-disabled athletes, and all athletes competed together in both exciting track races and enjoyable exhibition matches.
Intense Interest in the Protocol
Important names such as IMM Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan, IMM Deputy Secretary General Zeynep Neyza Akçabay, IMM Youth and Sports Services Department Head Barış Yıldız, IMM Sports Facilities Branch Manager Mustafa Baştimur, IMM Sports Evaluation Branch Manager İlker Öztürk, IMM Sports Istanbul Deputy General Manager Coşkun Yıldız and IMM Disabled Services Branch Manager Deputy Özgür Yurdusev also participated in the Disability Week Sports Activities and supported the event.
Meaningful Message from President İmamoğlu from Silivri
Speaking before the exhibition matches, Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Nuri Aslan said, Ekrem İmamoğlu's visit to Silivri brought emotional moments. Aslan stated that President İmamoğlu celebrated all mothers' Mother's Day and expressed his sadness for not being able to attend this meaningful event. Emphasizing İmamoğlu's efforts to serve the people of Istanbul, Aslan said, “I have always tried to serve this country, 16 million people of Istanbul. I tried to serve our disabled brothers and sisters. I tried to serve children. For this reason, I opened nurseries, dormitories, city restaurants. I built life valleys, centers for the disabled. Together with all my colleagues, I struggled only to serve the people of Istanbul, the people of Istanbul.” In Silivri, he continues to struggle day and night to serve the people of Istanbul, all our citizens in Türkiye, our disabled brothers and sisters, children, youth, and women. Ekrem İmamoğlu "He may be punished for only serving disabled citizens, the beautiful people here, children and women, but keeping him within four walls is not a situation that will prevent him from working," he said.
Aslan: “We Will Strive Day and Night for a Barrier-Free Life”
Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Nuri Aslan continued his speech by saying, “We are with you in a very valuable sports event that we organized on the occasion of May 10-16 Disabled Week. We are working for an Istanbul where individuals with special needs can access all the services offered by the city. Because we know very well that one of the most important data showing the level of development of a city is the participation of the disabled in social life. This sports event that we organized today with the participation of disabled and non-disabled athletes will ensure that all participants gain awareness about individuals with special needs. All athletes will socialize, do sports together, have fun and achieve success together. I also wish all our athletes here good fun and success. We will work day and night to provide an environment without obstacles and a life without obstacles.”
A Full Day in Six Branches
Following the speeches, the first ball of the eagerly awaited basketball exhibition match was thrown together by IMM Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan and IMM Deputy Secretary General Zeynep Neyza Akçabay. Athletes participating in the Disabled Week Sports Activities had a great time with both enjoyable exhibition matches and fun track races in football, volleyball, tennis, badminton and gymnastics branches, as well as the basketball match. The special stage bus and colorful inflatable playgrounds set up in the area also attracted great attention from the athletes at the event.
Spor Istanbul Continues to Introduce Disabled Individuals to Sports
Providing important services to encourage disabled individuals to live an active life and direct them to physical activity, Spor İstanbul continues to bring disabled individuals of all age groups together with sports in 35 different facilities in Istanbul. In the first quarter of 2025, Spor İstanbul facilities, which continue to expand sports services for disabled individuals, provided 8 disabled individuals with the opportunity to do sports 3 thousand times in a total of 43 different branches, from fitness to swimming, from tennis to volleyball. These figures clearly demonstrate IMM’s determination to support the participation of disabled individuals in social life.
