The monument, which was built to commemorate Anadolu Efes’ THY EuroLeague championship in the 2020-2021 season, was inaugurated.
The opening ceremony was attended by the AKP’s Bahçelievler Mayor Hakan Bahadır, Anadolu Efes Club President Tuncay Özilhan and Anadolu Efes Head Coach Ergin Ataman.
Bahadır, in his speech, stated that they are proud of memorializing the trophy.
Stating that they witnessed a historical day, Bahadır said:
“It is a real honor for me to be together with our heroes who personally wrote this historical day and to share this moment. The distinguished team of Turkish basketball, our source of pride, congratulates Anadolu Efes, which proudly flies our flag on the international platform, on its THY EuroLeague championship; especially Mr. Tuncay Özilhan, I sincerely congratulate our head coach Ergin Ataman and our athletes who have become giants on the field. Anadolu Efes is a product of the discipline of being a team, the ambition and belief in success, and the non-stop work that has been carried from past to present and from today to the future. In this sense, Anadolu Efes is a school and a school that has become an example for our children and youth. This and previous achievements show that there is a dynamic that makes this team a miracle. A sustainable success and focus on achievements. This is Anadolu Efes. It is a symbol of struggle, of being smart, agile and at the same time moral, of focus, of the system and of perseverance.”
“OUR CHAMPIONSHIP IS IMMORTALIZED”
Anadolu Efes Club President Tuncay Özilhan stated that they have contributed to the development of Turkish basketball for more than 45 years and successfully represented Turkey in the international arena.
Reminding that they are the team that won the most trophies in Turkish basketball, Özilhan said, “Our international success journey, which started in 1996 by winning our country’s first European cup, the Korac Cup, reached its peak in the 2020-2021 season, when we became the champion in the highest level organization of European basketball.”
Emphasizing that Anadolu Efes is trying to represent Turkey in the best possible way, head coach Ataman underlined that the biggest share in success belongs to its athletes.
Ataman said:
“We are a club that has been trying to represent Turkey in the best way with our infrastructure, history and achievements for 45 years. The biggest share here is our athletes. They made history in Turkey. They became Turkey’s team. They became Turkey’s pride. It happened on a meaningful day. Tomorrow we are on our way to a new adventure, a goal. Madam (Pınar Öktem Doğan), let’s start the preparations for the new THY EuroLeague cup on Saturday evening. We believe in ourselves. ‘Failed 2.’ I say guys.”
On the statue, “This monument is dedicated to Anadolu Efes Sports Club, which came to the top of Europe by declaring the EuroLeague championship in the final in Cologne, Germany on the evening of May 31, 2021, and Anadolu Efes, who did not spare their support even though they could not be with their teams physically due to the pandemic conditions. It was made in dedication to its fans.”
