Full name | Al-Shorta Sports Club |
---|---|
Nickname(s) |
Al-Qeetharah (The Harps) Al-Khadra (The Greens) Al-Shortawiyah (The Policemen) |
Founded | 14 November 1932 | as Montakhab Al-Shorta
Ground |
Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
Capacity | 34,200 |
Owner | Ministry of Interior |
President | Ayad Abdul-Rahman |
Manager | Nadhum Shaker |
League | Iraqi Premier League |
2015–16 | Iraqi Premier League, 7th |
Website | Club home page |
Active departments of Al-Shorta SC | ||
---|---|---|
Football | Basketball | Handball |
Futsal | Volleyball | Swimming |
Athletics | Archery | Wrestling |
Boxing | Weightlifting | Bodybuilding |
Wushu | Taekwondo | Show jumping |
Al-Shorta Sports Club (Police Sports Club, Arabic: نادي الشرطة الرياضي) is an Iraqi sports club based in Rusafa District, East Districts of the Tigris River, Baghdad. It has teams in many different sports including football, basketball, handball, futsal, volleyball, swimming, athletics, archery, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting, bodybuilding, wushu, taekwondo, and show jumping. The oldest and best known section of the club is the football team.
Al-Shorta were founded in 1932 under the name Montakhab Al-Shorta and are the third-oldest existing football club in the country. They are widely regarded as one of Iraq's best teams and they are one of only three Iraqi teams to ever win any major continental club competition, having lifted the Arab Club Championship trophy in 1982 and being widely considered as the winners of the AFC Champions League in 1971. They won all the games they played en route to the final of the tournament, but refused to face Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in protest at the Israeli occupation of Palestine, instead waving the Palestinian flag around the field. They were regarded as champions in the Iraqi media and were greeted with a heroes' reception upon their return to the country. Israel were subsequently expelled from the AFC, and their clubs now compete in UEFA competitions.