Allmänna Idrottsklubben
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Allmänna Idrottsklubben (usually referred to as just AIK or (especially locally) Gnaget) is a professional sports club from Stockholm, Sweden.[1] Founded in 1891, at the downtown address of Biblioteksgatan 8 in the district of Norrmalm, AIK is the largest, and oldest, club in Scandinavia.[2] The club's achievements include Swedish championship titles in a slew of sports: football, ice hockey, bandy, handball, floorball, bowling, badminton, athletics and many other sports as well as Wimbledon championships and French Open in tennis (through Sven Davidson, Lennart Bergelin and Ulf Schmidt).
Founding
The idea to start an athletic association began when the brothers Isidor and Paul Behrens were taking a walk through Hantverkargatan, in central Stockholm. They were walking pretty fast; and noticed that there were two other youngsters behind them who also walked quickly. The strangers tried to walk past the Behrens, so they had to speed up to keep the lead; but the strangers did the same. Finally all of them started to run in what now looked like an improvised competition. When Isidor and Paul were far away from the unknown youngsters, Isidor said that they should start an athletic association and compete with others.[citation needed]
So the brothers gathered their friends, who had strong athletic interest, and held a meeting at Behrens' on February 15, 1891 on Biblioteksgatan 8, in central Stockholm. Isidor introduced his idea to everyone, and they liked it. Since the boys agreed that every thinkable sport should be practiced, they decided that “Allmänna Idrottsklubben” (The General Sports Club) would be a suitable name. The name also had other meanings: AIK allowed anybody to become a member; and at this time many athletic clubs were limited (e.g. the military).[citation needed]
Media
On 5 February 1995, AIK became the first non-American sports club to promote an Internet website.[3]
Supporters
During the 1980s and 1990s AIK's official supporter group Black Army raged havoc around the country, making headlines in national newspapers. As a result of Black Army's bad behaviour another supporter group was created in 2000, Allmänna Supporterklubben (the General Supporters Club), as an option to Black Army. In 2002 Allmänna Supporterklubben was renamed to the much more AIK related name "Smokinglirarna" (roughly, "The Players", literally "the Black Tie Players"). In 2002 an ultras group was formed, Ultras Nord (Ultras North), and two years later, 2004, Sol Invictus was formed. Black Army, Smokinglirarna, Ultras Nord and Sol Invictus together with AIK-Tifo forms the so-called AIK-Alliansen (the AIK Alliance).[citation needed]
Crown princess Victoria's spouse Daniel Westling and princess Madeleine's former boyfriend Jonas Bergström both are ardent AIK fans.[4] From time to time the royal family visits the clubs home matches. His Swedish Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf is an honorary member of the club (in line with family tradition). An interview with the regional daily newspaper Kalmarposten allegedly denies the king Carl XVI Gustaf actually being an AIK supporter, and implies that the rivals Djurgårdens IF is his favourite team instead.[5]
Among Swedish politicians the former party chairman of the Swedish Social Democratic Party Mona Sahlin is an AIK supporter as well as former Minister for Justice Thomas Bodström.[6]
The Wallenberg family are also closely attached with AIK as a club, being one of the major share holders.
The chant used by AIK is Å vi é AIK ("And we are AIK" pronounced with a Stockholm dialect).
Active departments
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References
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- ↑ Derby-sessorna
- ↑ ”Jag håller på Djurgården”
- ↑ Bodströms äkta kärlek för svartgult
External links
- AIK - official site
- Black Army - Stockholm - AIK's official fan club
