Sports

During the Roman and Byzantine periods, the most important sporting events were the chariot races that were held at the Hippodrome of Constantinople, which had a capacity to accommodate more than 100,000 spectators. Initially four teams took part in these races, each one financially sponsored and supported by a different political party (Deme) within the Roman/Byzantine Senate: The Blues (Venetii), the Greens (Prasinoi), the Reds (Rousioi) and the Whites (Leukoi). The Reds (Rousioi) and the Whites (Leukoi) gradually weakened and were absorbed by the other two major factions (the Blues and Greens).

A total of up to eight chariots (two chariots per team), powered by four horses each, competed on the racing track of the Hippodrome. These races were not simple sporting events, but also provided some of the rare occasions in which the Emperor and the common citizens could come together in a single venue. Political discussions were often made at the Hippodrome, which could be directly accessed by the Emperor through a passage that connected the Kathisma (Emperor's Loge at the eastern tribune) with the Great Palace of Constantinople.

The rivalry between the Blues and Greens often became mingled with political or religious rivalries, and sometimes riots, which amounted to civil wars that broke out in the city between them. The most severe of these was the Nika Revolt of 532, in which an estimated 30,000 people were killed and many important buildings, such as the second Hagia Sophia Church, were destroyed. The current (third) Hagia Sophia was built by Justinian following the Nika Revolt.

The first modern sports club established during the late Ottoman period was Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü (1903). The club was originally called the Bereket Jimnastik Kulübü and later the Osmanlı Jimnastik Kulübü (Ottoman Gymnastics Club). The original colours of the team were "red and white", but these were substituted with the present "black and white" as a sign of mourning for the loss of Turkish lands on the Balkan peninsula following the Balkan Wars (1912-1913). For some time, the Osmanlı Jimnastik Kulübü was the only sports club in Turkey and in several occasions served as the Turkish national team. For this reason, Beşiktaş JK is the only Turkish club which is allowed to carry the Turkish flag on its badge.

Beşiktaş JK was followed by Galatasaray SK (1905) and Fenerbahçe SK (1907).

Galatasaray became the first Turkish football club to win European titles (the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup of 2000).

At present, Fenerbahçe is the Turkish team with the most Turkish Super League titles (17), followed by Galatasaray (16), Beşiktaş (12) and Trabzonspor (6).

The Atatürk Olympic Stadium is a five-star UEFA stadium and a first-class venue for track and field, having reached the highest required standards set by the International Olympic Committee and sports federations such as the IAAF, FIFA and UEFA. The stadium hosted the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final. The Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium will host the 2009 UEFA Cup Final.

Sports like football, basketball and volleyball are very popular in the city. In addition to Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş, which field teams in multiple sports, several other clubs have also excelled in particular team sports; such as Efes Pilsen and Fenerbahçe Ülker in basketball; or Eczacıbaşı and Vakıfbank in volleyball. Efes Pilsen basketball team won the first ever European title by a Turkish club in any team sport (Korac Cup of 1996). Efes Pilsen also came 2nd in the Eurocup of 1993, and reached the Final Four of Euroleague in 2000, finishing 3rd; and the Final Four of FIBA Suproleague in 2001, finishing 3rd once again.The second Turkish club to win a European title in a team sport was the Eczacıbaşı women's volleyball team, which won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1999. The club also finished 2nd in the European Champion Clubs' Cup of 1980 and the European CEV Cup of 1993; 3rd in the European Champion Clubs' Cup of 2000 and European Top Teams Cup of 2005; and 4th in the European Champion Clubs' Cup of 1984 and the European Champions’ League of 2001 and 2002; making it the all-time most successfull Turkish club of any team sport in European competitions.Likewise, Vakıfbank Güneş Sigorta women's volleyball team won the European Top Teams Cup in 2004, while finishing 2nd in the European Champions' League of 1998 and 1999, and 3rd in the European Confederation Cup of 2000. The team managed to reach the Final Four of the European Champions' League in 4 seasons.

Personal sports like golf, horse riding and tennis are gaining popularity as the city hosts international tournaments such as the WTA Istanbul Cup. For aerobics and bodybuilding, numerous fitness clubs are available. Paintball is a sport which has recently gained popularity and is practiced by two large clubs in the proximity of Istanbul. Martial arts and other Eastern disciplines and practices such as Aikido and Yoga can be exercised in several centers across the city. Istanbul also hosts the annual MTB races in the nearby Belgrad Forest and Büyükada Island. Two of the most prominent cycling teams of Turkey, namely the Scott/Marintek MTB Team and the Kron/Sektor Bikes/Efor Bisiklet MTB Team, are from Istanbul.

Istanbul hosts several annual motorsports events, such as the Formula One Turkish Grand Prix, the MotoGP Grand Prix of Turkey, the FIA World Touring Car Championship, the GP2 and the Le Mans Series 1000 km races at the Istanbul Park GP Racing Circuit.

From time to time Istanbul also hosts the Turkish leg of the F1 Powerboat Racing on the Bosphorus. Several annual sailing and yacht races take place on the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The Golden Horn is where the rowing races take place. Major clubs like Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, and major universities such as the Bosphorus University have rowing teams.

Air racing is very new to the city. On July 29, 2006, Istanbul hosted the 4th round of the spectacular Red Bull Air Race World Series above the Golden Horn.