A.E.K. (sports club)

Athlitiki Enosis Konstantinoupoleos (Greek: Αθλητική Ένωσις Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, Athletic Union of Constantinople), commonly referred to as A.E.K., known in European competitions as A.E.K. Athens, is a major Greek multi-sport club based in Nea Filadelfeia suburb of Athens. The club was founded in 1924 by Constantinopolitans who migrated to Greece after the Asia Minor disaster. They have the double-headed eagle as emblem and its colours are black and golden yellow, inspired by the Byzantine Empire. They are one of the most popular Greek clubs with million of fans all over Greece and the Greek diaspora. The basketball team of AEK was the first Greek team to win a European title in 1968.

History

The club was founded in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople (now Istanbul) in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War and the subsequent population exchange. The large Greek population of Constantinople, not unlike those of the other Ottoman urban centres, continued its athletic traditions in the form of numerous athletic clubs. Clubs such as Enosi Tataoulon (Ένωση Ταταούλων), from the Tatavla district, Megas Alexandros (Μέγας Αλέξανδρος) and Hermes (Ερμής) of Galata existed to promote the Hellenic athletic and cultural ideals; Hermes, one of the most popular clubs, was formed in 1875 by the Greek community of Pera (Galata). Forced by the Kemalist regime to change its name to Pera Club in 1923, many of its athletes fled to Greece and settled in Athens and Thessaloniki.