Gezira Sporting Club

About

The Gezira Sporting Club (Arabic: نادى الجزيرة الرياضى )is the largest multi-sport facility in Egypt. It was in 1882 and was originally as Khedivial Sporting Club. It is there on the island of Zamalek in Cairo.

History

At first, the club was for the exclusive use of the British Army. Membership was restricted to applicants elected by the committee, on the recommendation of two members, although British army officers were automatically enrolled. There were about 750 members. Guests could visit the club whenever accompanied by those members by purchasing Day Passes for LE50.

In 1906, the club members asked the Egyptian Government for ownership.

The exclusive character of the club continued until after World War II. By this point, most members of the Gezira Sporting Club were Egyptians, but the club’s members were from society’s elite. As a result of nationalization. Half of its eighteen-hole golf course were given over to a youth club built by the Egyptian government on the club premises (making it a nine-hole course). Much of what was deemed as a traditionally aristocratic asset was nationalized.

During Anwar Al Sadat’s presidency, a new elevated highway (the 6th October Bridge) was over the remaining nine-hole golf course and six-furlong racecourse causing the size of the club to further erode.^[

Despite suffering vandalism, the Gezira Sporting Club still offers most of the sports and games practiced by its founders: golf,tennis,squash,croquet,horse riding and cricket.