Galatasaray SK is a sports club based in Istanbul, Turkey that competes in Süper Lig, the most senior football league in Turkey. Since its founding in 1905, the club has had 37 different presidents. The club is owned by the club-members of Galatasay SK, and similarly to a limited liability company, they elect the president by a ballot. The president has the responsibility for the overall management of the club, including formally signing contracts with players and staff. In Turkey, it is customary for the president to watch the games in which the first-team participates, together with the president from the opposing team.

Ali Sami Yen was Galatasaray SK's founder and one of the first players.

Since its foundation, Galatasaray SK has been owned and operated only by its members (all Turkish), unlike most European football clubs. Ali Sami Yen remains the longest-running president of The Lions (14 years, from 1905 to 1919).

List of presidents

Below is the official presidential history of Galatasaray SK, from when Ali Sami Yen took over at the club in 1905, until the present day.

Date Name
(club membership no.) 		Galatasaray Football Team Galatasaray Men's
Basketball Team 		Galatasaray Women's
Basketball Team 		Galatasaray Men's
Volleyball Team 		Galatasaray Women's
Volleyball Team 		Galatasaray
Waterpolo
Team 		Galatasaray
Swimming
Team 		Galatasaray
Athletics
Team 		Galatasaray
Rowing
Team 		Galatasaray
Sailing
Team
Istanbul
League /Istanbul
Cup/
Milli
Küme 		TSYD Cup Turkish
Football
Championship 		Turkish Super Cup Turkish Cup UEFA Cup UEFA Super Cup UEFA Champions League Istanbul
League /Turkish
Basketball
Championship/Turkish
Basketball
League/Turkish
Cup/President's
Cup 		Turkish Women's
Basketball League/Turkish
Cup/Turkish
President
Cup/EuroLeague
Women/FIBA
EuroCup/European
SuperCup 		Istanbul
League/Turkish Women's
Volleyball League/CEV Challenge CUP 		Istanbul
League/Turkish Women's
Volleyball League 		Turkish
Waterpolo League 		Turkish
Swimming Championship Winter/Summer 		Turkish
Athletics Championship İstanbul/Turkey Winter/Summer 		Turkish
Rowing Championship Winter/Summer 		Turkish
Sailing Championship (Summer)
Men's Men's Women's Men's Women's Men's Men's and Women's Men's and Women's Men's and Women's Men's and Women's
30 October 1905-
15 May 1919		 Ali Sami Yen(1)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
15 May 1919-
10 December 1922		 Refik Cevdet Kalpakçıoğlu(7)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
10 December 1922-
23 April 1925		 Yusuf Ziya Öniş(235)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
23 April 1925-
17 July 1925		 Ali Sami Yen(1)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
17 July 1925-
5 September 1925		 Ahmet Robenson(9) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
5 September 1925-
25 September 1926		 Ali Haydar Şekip(259) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
25 September 1926-
1 January 1928		 Adnan İbrahim Pirioğlu(10) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
1 January 1928-
25 October 1929		 Necmettin Sadık Sadak(350) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
25 October 1929-
18 July 1930		 Abidin Daver(8) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
18 July 1930-
26 June 1931		 Ahmet Kara(17)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
26 June 1931-
15 January 1932		 Tahir Kevkep(513) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
15 January 1932-
19 February 1932		 Ali Haydar Barşal(30)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
19 February 1932-
11 March 1932		 Ahmet Kara(17)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
11 March 1932-
3 February 1933		 Fethi İsfendiyaroğlu(40) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
3 February 1933-
12 August 1934		 Ali Haydar Barşal(30)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
12 August 1934-
8 February 1935		 Refik Cevdet Kalpakçıoğlu(7)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
8 February 1935-
3 April 1937		 Prof. Dr. Ethem Menemencioğlu(1185) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
3 April 1937-
15 December 1937		 Saim Gogen(380) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
15 December 1937-
8 April 1939		 Sedat Ziya Kantoğlu(1277)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
8 April 1939-
27 August 1939		 Nazmi Nuri Köksal(1005) x/x/ x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
27 August 1939-
21 October 1939		 Adnan Akıska(437)) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
21 October 1939-
10 May 1940		 Sedat Ziya Kantoğlu(1277)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
10 May 1940-
21 November 1942		 Tevfik Ali Çınar(1539) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
21 November 1942-
1 January 1944		 Osman Dardağan(762) x//x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
1 January 1944-
23 September 1944		 Sedat Ziya Kantoğlu(1277)
3. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
23 September 1944-
31 August 1946		 Muslihittin Peykoğlu(416) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
31 August 1946-
21 November 1950		 Suphi Batur(548)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x / x x x x x x x
21 November 1950-
30 March 1953		 Yusuf Ziya Öniş(235)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
30 March 1953-
30 November 1954		 Ulvi Yenal(835)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x / x x x x x x
30 November 1954-
11 January 1957		 Refik Selimoğlu(548)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x/ x / x x x x
Date Name
(club membership no.) 		Galatasaray Professional Football Team Galatasaray Men's
Basketball Team 		Galatasaray Women's
Basketball Team 		Galatasaray Men's
Volleyball Team 		Galatasaray Women's
Volleyball Team 		Galatasaray
Waterpolo
Team 		Galatasaray
Swimming
Team 		Galatasaray
Athletics
Team 		Galatasaray
Rowing
Team 		Galatasaray
Sailing
Team
Istanbul
League /Istanbul
Cup/
Milli
Küme 		TSYD Cup Turkish
Football
Championship 		Turkish Super Cup Turkish Cup UEFA Cup UEFA Super Cup UEFA Champions League Istanbul
League /Turkish
Basketball
Championship/Turkish
Basketball
League/Turkish
Cup/President's
Cup 		Turkish Women's
Basketball League/Turkish
Cup/Turkish
President
Cup/EuroLeague
Women/FIBA
EuroCup/European
SuperCup 		Istanbul
League/Turkish
Championship/Turkish Men's
Volleyball League 		Istanbul
League/Turkish Women's
Volleyball League/CEV Challenge CUP 		Turkish
Waterpolo League 		Turkish
Swimming Championship Winter/Summer 		Turkish
Athletics Championship İstanbul/Turkey Winter/Summer 		Turkish
Rowing Championship Winter/Summer 		Turkish
Sailing Championship (Summer)
Professional Seasons Men's Men's Women's Men's Women's Men's Men's and Women's Men's and Women's Men's and Women's Men's and Women's
11 January 1957-
2 January 1960		 Sadık Giz(1162) x x x x x x x x / x x x x
2 January 1960-
27 January 1962		 Refik Selimoğlu(548)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x / x / / x x x x x
27 January 1962-
13 February 1965		 Ulvi Yenal(835)
2. Presidency		 x x x x quarter-final x/ x / / x x x x
13 February 1965-
18 January 1969		 Suphi Batur(548)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x/ x / / x x x
18 January 1969-
3 February 1973		 Selahattin Beyazıt(3597)
1. Presidency		 x x x x quarter-final x/x// x x/x/ x x x
3 February 1973-
14 June 1975		 Mustafa Pekin(1747) x x x x x x x x x x x
14 June 1975-
27 January 1979		 Selahattin Beyazıt(3597)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x /x/x x x x
27 January 1979-
15 March 1986		 Prof. Dr. Ali Uras(3098) x x x x x x/x// x x x x x x
15 March 1986-
17 March 1990		 Dr. Ali Tanrıyar(1765) x x x x semi-final x/x// x/x/ x x x
17 March 1990-
16 March 1996		 Alp Yalman(3660) x x x quarter-final x/x// // x x x x
16 March 1996-
17 July 2001		 Faruk Süren(5269) x quarter-final ///Final Four/x/x x x x
17 July 2001-
23 March 2002		 Mehmet Cansun(4697) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
23 March 2002-
22 March 2008		 Özhan Canaydın(4569) x x x x x x x x x x x x
22 March 2008-
18 May 2011		 Adnan Polat(7708) x x x x x x x x///x//Runner Up x x/x/Bronze x x x x
18 May 2011 – 25 October 2014 Ünal Aysal(11629) x x quarter final
25 October 2014 – 23 May 2015 Prof. Dr. Duygun Yarsuvat(3666) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
23 May 2015 – 20 January 2018 Dursun Aydın Özbek(6602)
1. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
20 January 2018 – 19 June 2021 Mustafa Cengiz(10649) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
19 June 2021 – 11 June 2022 Burak Elmas(9320) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
11 June 2022 – Dursun Aydın Özbek(6602)
2. Presidency		 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

References

Category