Famagusta: The shocking photos from the ruined G.S.E. (PICTURES)

Four shocking images from the current situation in which the historical stadium of the "Evagoras" Gymnasium (G.S.E.) has fallen were published on Social Media by the Famagusta author Yagos Kleopas, who accompanied the images with an excerpt from his book on the History of Famagusta "Famagusta the Endless History":

"In 1899, in a meeting chaired by judge St. Makridis, moves are being made to establish a Gymnasium and a Literary Association. In 1903, the Evagoras Fan Club/Association began its operation, on the initiative of the lawyer Miltiadis Siakallis and Nikolaos Nikolaidis Patatrakas, who even contributed to the collection of the required funds by organizing theatrical performances in which they starred.

From 1918 (which is officially considered the year of foundation,179 due to the fact that it participated for the first time in Pan-Cypriot Games) it was renamed as Evagoras Gymnastics Association (GSE) with founding and active members Georgios Michaelidis, Anastasis Oikonomidis, Georgios Kourris, Savera Saveriadis, Michalakis Michaelidis, Georgios Tambourla, Charilaos Pantelidis et al. President is Bishop Salaminos and Secretary is Polybios Papadopoulos, who from the beginning of the 1920s and for five decades (until 1973) was elected President. The GSE Gymnasium was built in 1923 (when the members managed to collect the necessary funds) next to the Gymnasium – after a fire in the orchard there – and which, until 1974, functioned both as a football stadium (the Anorthosis stadium) and classical sports matches, as well as a Gymnasium gymnasium. Until the construction of the GSE stadium, the matches were held on the field next to the Manzourio Elementary School (Astiki Agia Zoni).

But also in sports, even several years after the other cities, the "sportingly backward Famagusta" is making progress. After the establishment of the associations (Evagoras, Anorthosis, GSE) the athletes begin to participate in Provincial and Pan-Cyprian Games. In May 1918, the first Provincial Games of the city were held (in the area next to the Manzourio Elementary School). They were organized by the Evagoras association and the consecration was performed by His Holiness Bishop Salaminos. Andreas G. Michaelidis was declared a multi-victory athlete with five first victories and his brother Varnavas another two. The receipts from the matches amounted to 34 pounds.

In 1919, Varnavas was declared the first Famagusta Pancypriot winner in the untimed high jump (tied with other athletes) and repeated his victory in the Pancypriots of 1923. In 1910, at the age of just 15, he was ranked 3rd in the pole vault in Pancypriots. In the following decades, the performances of the city's athletes deservedly competed with those of other cities. GSE was declared champion in 1933, 1950, 1960 and 1968. Athletes who distinguished themselves in the decades up to 1960 were: I. Hatziloizou, Konstantinos Tsoukas, Christodoulos Symeonides, Andreas Yagou, Michael Mertakkas, Nikos Kokkinos, Dimitrakis Pantelidis, Antonis Giallouros, Totsis, Irenaios Theodotou, Christoforos Tsiakkiros, Koumis Kkeses, Lullis, Pericles Solomidis, Solon Solomonidis, Moses Mantzalos, Antonis Papadopoulos, Niki Georgiou, Dimitris Kyriakidis, Nikos Moustakas, Andreas Pantazis, Nikos Nikolaou, Giannakis Konstantinou, Tiaras Tsilakis. The contribution mainly of the EGA, but also of the other Schools, in the sports field is extremely valuable, since many of the above champions came from the classes of the High Schools."