Alexandria Sporting Club

Alexandria Sporting Club (Arabic: نادي الإسكندرية الرياضي - سبورتنج), more commonly known as Sporting, is an Egyptian sports and social club based in Alexandria, Egypt. Founded in 1890, the club is one of the oldest in Egypt, second only to Gezira Sporting Club in Cairo. In 1952, it was taken over by the Egyptian government and became a national club. Sporting is one of the biggest clubs in Egypt in terms of land area and membership base, covering 100 acres in the centre of the city. The club is one of the most competitive clubs in Alexandria, regularly contending in national competitions in a wide range of sports, even producing world champions in squash. Sporting is almost exclusively a members-only club. The club's basketball team is a three-time Egyptian Basketball Premier League champion, most recently winning the 2017–18 season title. Sporting's women's team won the FIBA Africa Women's Clubs Champions Cup in 2022, becoming the first Egyptian club to win the competition. In 2023, Sporting won its second consecutive title. History Sporting Club was established in 1890 by Prince Omar Tusson with the help of the colonial British administration in Alexandria, who would, in Sporting’s early days, dominate the membership in the club. Being the first major sports club in Alexandria, it introduced many sports that could have only played in the capital or abroad in Europe, such as tennis and golf. Founded 8 years after Gezira Sporting Club, the oldest and most prestigious club in Egypt, it functioned similarly to it, Egyptians were largely barred from membership unless they came from wealthy backgrounds, this gradually shifted up until 1952, just before the club was nationalised by the Egyptian government. After 1952, foreigners were excluded from membership entirely and were replaced by native Egyptians. Honours Men's team National Egypt Super League Champions (3): 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18 Egypt Basketball Cup Champions (7): 1976–77, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17 Egyptian Mortabat League Champions (2): 2012–13, 2013–14 International FIBA Africa Basketball League Fourth Place (2): 2013, 2014 Women's team National Egyptian Basketball Women's League Champions (2): 2021, 2022 Egyptian Basketball Women's Cup Winners (2): 2013, 2020 Egyptian Basketball Women's SuperCup Winners (2): 2017, 2021 International FIBA Africa Women's Basketball League Champions (2): 2022, 2023 Fourth Place (1): 2019 Rivalries Ittihad SC Both clubs are Egyptian giants in basketball, when they face each other in the Alexandria derby, it’s often in the late stages of The Egyptian Basketball Super League. While the Al Ittihad men’s team has historically been superior to Sporting, Sporting’s women’s team has achieved continental success, including winning the FIBA Africa Women's Basketball League, which Ittihad’s women’s team is yet to achieve. Smouha Sporting Club Smouha is Sporting’s main rival outside of basketball, with both clubs being competitive in handball, volleyball, water polo, and squash. A strong friendly rivalry has formed between the youth of the two clubs. Both clubs are the two largest and most dominant clubs in Alexandria and two of the biggest clubs in Egypt. Notable players To appear in this section a player must have either: - Set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player. - Played at least one official international match for his senior national team or one NBA game at any time. Omar Abdeen Ahmed Mounir Other sports Volleyball The club is currently active in the Egyptian Volleyball League Football The club is currently active in the Egyptian Second Division A Honours Egyptian Third Division: 2019–20 (Group 11) Handball The club is currently active in the Egyptian Professional League Honours Egyptian Professional Super Cup: 2019 Egypt Cup: 2022 African Champions League runners-up: 2019 Arab Championship of Champions: 1997 Key Players Hamza Walid (Left-back) Youssef Gaber "Afroto" (Centre) Youssef Abdelaziz (Left-wing) Mohammed Ghareeb (Right-back) Youssef Walid (Goalkeeper) References External links Official website