Beşiktaş Tüpraş and Batman Wheelchair Basketball Teams Meet in a Friendship Match

Under the slogan "With Sport’s Barrier-Breaking Power, Our Energy is to the Future", supported by Tüpraş, the Beşiktaş Tüpraş Wheelchair Basketball Team and the Batman Disabled Sports Club (BESK) Basketball Team played a friendship match to raise awareness during the Disability Week from May 10-16. The match, watched by Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club President Serdar Adalı, Koç Holding Energy Group President Yağız Eyüboğlu, Tüpraş General Manager İbrahim Yelmenoğlu, as well as Beşiktaş athletes and fans, emphasized the importance of encouraging the active participation of disabled individuals in social life through sports.

In collaboration with Tüpraş, Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club, and Batman BESK, the Beşiktaş Süleyman Seba Sports Hall hosted a meaningful match during Disability Week. The Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club Wheelchair Basketball Team, sponsored by Tüpraş, and the Batman Disabled Sports Club Basketball Team took to the court in a friendship match to raise awareness about the participation of disabled individuals in social life.

The friendship match was attended by Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club President Serdal Adalı, Koç Holding Energy Group President Yağız Eyüboğlu, Tüpraş General Manager İbrahim Yelmenoğlu, Batman Refinery Manager Ahmet Cemil Karaoğuz, Corporate Communications Director Çiler Teber, Batman BESK President Nasreddin Kaya and Disabled Association President Şükrü Boyraz, along with senior officials and employees from Beşiktaş and Tüpraş.

In the friendship match, the Beşiktaş Tüpraş Wheelchair Basketball Team won with a score of 41-25.

Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club President Serdal Adalı commented on the match: "I am honored to be here today as part of Disability Week. I wholeheartedly wish success to the Beşiktaş and Batman wheelchair basketball teams, who excellently reflect the unifying power of sports, determination, and challenge on the court. We extend our gratitude to Koç Group, which supports Beşiktaş in every field, and to our valuable sponsor Tüpraş, which also supports this meaningful organization. Their contributions open the doors to a sports world where opportunities, not obstacles, are discussed. Today's match is a reflection of solidarity, equality, and hope on the court. I firmly believe that together we will build a more inclusive future."

Tüpraş aims to encourage the active participation of disabled individuals in social life through sports with the slogan "With Sport’s Barrier-Breaking Power, Our Energy is to the Future.

Koç Holding Energy Group President Yağız Eyüboğlu emphasized the importance of the match with the following words: "As a community, we continue comprehensive efforts on various platforms to support the development of many branches of sports with our vision of creating value. Disabled sports, beyond the support we provide to other categories, have a very special importance with its social responsibility aspect. Tüpraş, our country's leading energy company, sets an important example in supporting disabled individuals with the slogan ‘With Sport’s Barrier-Breaking Power, Our Energy is to the Future’. With this event, we hope to bring more disabled individuals into professional sports in the future."

Tüpraş General Manager İbrahim Yelmenoğlu evaluated the friendship match: "We know that sports have the power to unite masses and overcome social issues and obstacles. As Tüpraş, we support the participation of disabled individuals in sports with the slogan 'With Sport’s Barrier-Breaking Power, Our Energy is to the Future'. The match played today by our two teams, which we are proud to sponsor, was a remarkable example of production, achievement, and strengthening social inclusivity. It is our common responsibility to increase awareness in society by creating space for disabled individuals in social life. I wholeheartedly congratulate our valuable athletes for their success on the court and for inspiring the entire society and disabled individuals with their struggle. I hope our athletes will contribute to the success of disabled sports branches in our country by making disabled youth and children love sports."

Batman Disabled Sports Club President Nasreddin Kaya commented on the friendship match: "Our main goal is to draw attention to the problems of all disabled individuals, integrate them into society, improve their living standards, and create social awareness. We believe we can achieve this through sports and reach large audiences. This is more than a friendship match; it is an important social awareness activity. On behalf of the Batman Disabled Sports Club wheelchair basketball team, I extend my thanks to everyone who contributed."

The Beşiktaş Tüpraş Wheelchair Basketball Team has 10 players, 2 of whom are women. Team Captain Kemal Kaan Şafak, who noted that he participated in such an organization for the first time, stated that opportunities for disabled individuals to start sports have improved: "I became disabled after a traffic accident at the age of five. I met sports thanks to my high school teacher 12 years later. I have been with Beşiktaş for 8-9 years. It is a very nice sport; it increased my self-confidence. I participate in competitions in Türkiye and abroad. I have the honor of wearing the national team jersey. We can reach everything we want through social media. By writing wheelchair basketball on social media, related clubs can be found. Not all disabled individuals have to play wheelchair basketball. There are many sports branches according to our disability. We have many options such as sitting volleyball, table tennis, and more."

Batman Disabled Sports Club Wheelchair Team Captain Hasan Alkum also commented on the friendshipmatch: "With the friendship match we played with Beşiktaş, we have now become a brother team with Beşiktaş. I feel great happiness and pride in this. Playing basketball has changed a lot in my life. I have made different friendships all over Türkiye. For example, thanks to this, we came together with Beşiktaş athlete friends. I recommend friends who want to start this sport to write wheelchair basketball on any basketball page or website or to apply to the associations and sports clubs of a province as soon as possible. Once they start, they will see how important and social this sport is."

Founded in 2003, the Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club Disabled Sports Club operates in branches such as shooting, wheelchair dance, arm wrestling, table tennis, and billiards, in addition to the Wheelchair Basketball Team. The Wheelchair Basketball Team has participated in many Olympic and Paralympic games to date. Founded in 2006, the Batman Disabled Sports Club has 17 athletes. The team plays in the first league.