Istanbul, Turkey, November 17, 2016 – FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship bronze medallists VakifBank Istanbul have fulfilled a longstanding dream with the construction of a new sports facility known as the VakifBank Spor Sarayi.
The new sports facility recently opened with a ceremony attended by over 2,000 guests, including the country’s Vice Prime Minister, Numan Kurtulmus, the Minister of Economy, Mehmet Simsek, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Akif Cagatay Kilic and the Secretary General of the Turkish Presidency, Fahri Kasirga.
The VakifBank Spor Sarayi complex was completed in 15 months with the support of one of Turkey’s biggest financial companies, VakifBank, which established the club some decades ago and has been supporting its activities for almost 30 years.
“Our aim is to secure sustainable success at VakifBank and our new gym will be a great asset for the achievement of this goal,” VakifBank general manager Mr Halil Aydogan said.
“One of our main strengths are the many young players we can count on and with the opportunities disclosed by this gym, we will continue to grow a lot of talented youngsters. VakifBank Spor Sarayi will also make a significant contribution to Istanbul’s Olympic dreams.”
VakifBank Spor Sarayi is regarded as one of the world’s largest sport facilities since it is spread over nine floors and covers an area of some 30,000 square metres. The main volleyball hall can accommodate up to 2,000 spectators and has two training halls available for senior and youth teams. The players and the staff of VakifBank are provided also with a first-class fitness centre, steam bath, rest rooms, rehabilitation rooms, press working room, press conference room and administrative offices.
VakifBank Istanbul have participated in the Women’s Club World Championship multiple times. They first joined the competition in 2011, when they finished as runners-up to Rabita Baku in Doha, Qatar. They returned to the competition in 2013 and captured the title in Zurich, Switzerland.
In their latest participation, the club made another podium finish in Manila, Philippines, after beating Volero Zurich in the bronze medal match.