The celebration was attended by athletes, coaches and administrators who have served the Club across different periods and disciplines, as well as sponsors, stakeholders, members of the media and distinguished guests from the world of sports. Among the guests were Eczacıbaşı Holding Chairman Bülent Eczacıbaşı, who previously served as President of the Club, and Turkish Volleyball Federation President Mehmet Akif Üstündağ.
The program began with a conversation between Eczacıbaşı Sports Club President Faruk Eczacıbaşı and Board Member Nejat Emre Eczacıbaşı. The discussion focused on the vision behind the Club’s foundation, investments in different sports disciplines and the importance of carrying its 60-year sporting culture into the future. Faruk Eczacıbaşı emphasized that the Club’s support for women’s volleyball goes beyond the pursuit of sporting success, representing a social mission aimed at strengthening the role of women in sports and society.
Turkish Volleyball Federation President Mehmet Akif Üstündağ congratulated the Club for its 60 years of contribution to Turkish volleyball and presented plaques to Eczacıbaşı Sports Club President Faruk Eczacıbaşı, Eczacıbaşı Holding Chairman Bülent Eczacıbaşı, Eczacıbaşı Sports Club Board Member Erdal Karamercan and Eczacıbaşı Sports Club General Manager Ali Atalık.
The Club’s story was told in five chapters titled “The Dream is Ours,” “The Courage is Ours,” “The Memory is Ours,” “The Success is Ours” and “The Future is Ours.” Archival footage, memories shared by athletes from different generations and stories from the Club’s history were featured throughout the program. Members of the Eczacıbaşı family who contributed to the Club and have since passed away were commemorated through photographs.
The “Memory Stand” prepared for the event brought together, in the same hall, the names who contributed to the shared history of women’s and men’s volleyball, basketball, table tennis and chess alongside today’s athletes.
Highlighting the importance of clubs in the position Turkish volleyball has reached globally, Turkish Volleyball Federation President Mehmet Akif Üstündağ said:
“Turkish volleyball is experiencing historic days. Turkish volleyball is number one both in the world and in Europe. With its institutional structure, economy, facilities and, above all, its clubs coming together, we are a federation and a country that serves as an example to the world. This is not my success; it is our success, all of ours. I would like to respond to Faruk Eczacıbaşı’s words, ‘If we have contributed to the soup, we are happy.’ You are the soup itself. You are the salt, the water and the flour. The foundation of being number one in the world today is our clubs—the soup and the salt. I salute and deeply respect everyone who has contributed to Eczacıbaşı and Turkish volleyball reaching this point.”
Speaking about the approach behind the Club’s continued focus on women’s volleyball, Eczacıbaşı Sports Club President Faruk Eczacıbaşı said:
“At the heart of our decision to continue with women’s volleyball was a mission we had set for ourselves. We aimed to develop athletes who could serve as role models for Turkish girls and young women, and I believe we have achieved significant success in this regard. Today, thanks to the contributions of teams, players, coaching staffs and the federation, a strong ecosystem has emerged in which all these elements reinforce one another. I believe that the structure we have built together has evolved into a model that can serve as an example to the world. We are very proud to have contributed to the development of this ecosystem as Eczacıbaşı. It is a great source of happiness for us to continue this mission in women’s volleyball and to keep adding value to Turkish sports.”
Commenting on the new season, Faruk Eczacıbaşı said:
“The team you see here represents 60 years of sporting culture and accumulated experience. Naturally, our goal for the new season is to win the championship. We are aware that competing in Türkiye is not easy, but our ambition and goal is to become champions. I believe every one of these athletes will serve as a role model for young people in Türkiye. I believe they will represent our Club’s values in the best possible way on the court and that we will have a successful season together.”
Eczacıbaşı Sports Club Board Member Nejat Emre Eczacıbaşı, speaking about the Club’s founding philosophy and contribution to Turkish sports, said:
“Today, I respectfully salute the entire Eczacıbaşı sports family, including the childhood heroes I looked up to, the Club I have admired for many years, and everyone who has contributed to bringing Türkiye’s sports ecosystem to where it is today. I believe the philosophy behind the founding of Eczacıbaşı was rooted in a strong belief in the potential of young people and what they could achieve when provided with the right opportunities. There was a belief that young people who develop self-confidence and strong connections through sports could make significant contributions not only to sports but also to different areas of life. The vision put forward by Şakir and Nejat Eczacıbaşı demonstrated that, when the right conditions are created, sustainable ecosystems can be established not only in sports but also in science, culture, the arts and the business world. They saw this potential and took action.”
The second part of the program marked the opening of the 2026–2027 season for Eczacıbaşı Peron İstanbul. The players and coaching staff shared their preparations and goals for the new season with members of the media and answered their questions.
Eczacıbaşı Peron İstanbul will face Nilüfer Belediyespor away in its opening match of the Vodafone Sultanlar League on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The team will play its first home match on Sunday, October 11, 2026. In the new season, the team will compete in the Sultanlar League as well as European and World competitions.
Commenting on Eczacıbaşı’s ambitions for the new season, Eczacıbaşı Sports Club Head Coach Giulio Cesare Bregoli said:
“When we talk about our season goals, I think the concept of expectation actually means ‘to seek.’ Therefore, we are not simply talking about waiting for something; we are talking about what we are looking for. What we are looking for is definitely to win. I am not saying it will be easy; it certainly will not be. We know the strength of our opponents. We also know that the chemistry of teams that have been playing together for a long time is an important advantage. But what we want to bring to the court is very clear: fighting, commitment, the desire to win and being ready to fight at every moment. You can be absolutely certain of that.”
Sharing what being Eczacıbaşı’s captain means to her, Eczacıbaşı Peron İstanbul Team Captain Simge Aköz said:
“Being the captain of Eczacıbaşı is, above all, a great source of pride for me. Here, I am not only an athlete; I am also in an environment where I can reach people and express myself as a person, and receiving such great support from the Eczacıbaşı family makes me very happy. Being able to carry the same vision and dedication to Turkish women, young girls and Turkish sports, and to compete together at a Club like this, is a tremendous source of pride for both me and society. For this reason, I am very happy to be a part of the Eczacıbaşı family and to serve as its captain.”
2 — Simge Aköz
3 — Selin Adalı
4 — Mayu Ishikawa
6 — Dilay Özdemir
8 — Aslı Kalaç
9 — Ezel Balık
10 — Yaprak Erkek
12 — Elif Şahin
14 — Dana Rettke
15 — Aleksandra Uzelac
17 — Ekaterina Antropova
20 — Iva Dudova
21 — Camilla Weitzel
99 — Ebrar Karakurt
Head Coach: Giulio Cesare Bregoli
Assistant Coaches: Gerardo Daglio, Kaan İncekara, Artun Aksan, Erman Güçin, Marius Clerc
Club Manager: Bilun Yılmaz
