Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna
Encyclopedia
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna (English: Sporting Society Comrades), usually abbreviated IFK is a central organisation for a large number of sports clubs
in Sweden
. There are also eight IFK clubs in Finland
but they are organised separately. It was founded 1 February 1895 and has 164 member clubs with around 100,000 members as of 2004.
by two young students (Louis Zettersten and Pehr Ehnemark) that wanted to create a sports association, consisting of a main club in Stockholm with smaller clubs in other parts of the country. This was in a time when no nationwide sports organization or other larger associations existed. An advertisement in the youth paper Kamraten (The Comrade) that was published 1 February 1895 called forth all sports interested boys and girls in Sweden to join the society. Less than two months later, clubs in Luleå
, Härnösand
, Uppsala
, Jönköping
, Gothenburg
and Västerås
had been founded, aside the main club in Stockholm. It was decided to name the society after the paper that made the creation possible.
The society grew fast and the administration was too heavy for IFK Stockholm to handle, so a central organisation was created in 1901. Championships and other activities for IFK clubs were arranged and were big tournaments in a time when there existed no central Swedish sports administration to handle nationwide events. Some of these Comrade championships died out as national championships were arranged, but in some sports they live on, for example in Bowling
. Other member associations started their own competitions, the most notable being Vasaloppet
arranged by IFK Mora and Lidingöloppet
arranged by IFK Lidingö
.
Aside from the IFK members in Sweden and the separately organised IFK members in Finland, there did also exist IFK associations in Denmark
and Norway
. The last active member in Denmark was IFK Aalborg that ceased to exist in the early 90s, while the Norwegian member in Kristiania (Oslo
) ended its activities early in the 20th century.
that uses yellow and white or IFK Stockholm
's blue and red kits. The colours are believed to symbolise innocence and loyalty as written, by the IFK society master, in Kamraten in 1899. Symbols used by IFK include the four-pointed star in blue or white, the blue shield with white stripe and the characteristically formed top with two rounded parts between three peaks which can be seen in most of the member clubs' badges, although some use other styles. The IFK flag
is described as a blue and white Scandinavian cross
on white background with a blue four-pointed star in the canton
.
Finland
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. There are also eight IFK clubs in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
but they are organised separately. It was founded 1 February 1895 and has 164 member clubs with around 100,000 members as of 2004.
History
IFK was founded in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
by two young students (Louis Zettersten and Pehr Ehnemark) that wanted to create a sports association, consisting of a main club in Stockholm with smaller clubs in other parts of the country. This was in a time when no nationwide sports organization or other larger associations existed. An advertisement in the youth paper Kamraten (The Comrade) that was published 1 February 1895 called forth all sports interested boys and girls in Sweden to join the society. Less than two months later, clubs in Luleå
Luleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
, Härnösand
Härnösand
Härnösand is a locality and the seat of Härnösand Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 18,003 inhabitants in 2005. It is called "the gate to the High Coast" because of the world heritage landscape rises just some miles north of Härnösand...
, Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, Jönköping
Jönköping
-Notable people:*Lillian Asplund, RMS Titanic survivor*John Bauer, illustrator, painter*Amy Diamond, singer*Agnetha Fältskog, ABBA*Carl Henrik Fredriksson, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Eurozine*Anders Gustafsson, kayaker, Olympian...
, Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
and Västerås
Västerås
Västerås is a city in central Sweden, located on the shore of Lake Mälaren in the province Västmanland, some 100 km west of Stockholm...
had been founded, aside the main club in Stockholm. It was decided to name the society after the paper that made the creation possible.
The society grew fast and the administration was too heavy for IFK Stockholm to handle, so a central organisation was created in 1901. Championships and other activities for IFK clubs were arranged and were big tournaments in a time when there existed no central Swedish sports administration to handle nationwide events. Some of these Comrade championships died out as national championships were arranged, but in some sports they live on, for example in Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
. Other member associations started their own competitions, the most notable being Vasaloppet
Vasaloppet
Vasaloppet is an annual long distance cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March in northwestern Dalarna, Sweden between the village of Sälen and town of Mora. It is the oldest, one of the longest, and in popular consideration the biggest cross-country ski race in the world...
arranged by IFK Mora and Lidingöloppet
Lidingöloppet
Lidingöloppet is an annual Cross-country running competition held in Lidingö, Sweden. The 30 km run has about 15.000 participants per year and the shorter races several thousands, making it the largest cross-country event in the world...
arranged by IFK Lidingö
IFK Lidingö
IFK Lidingö is a Swedish sports club, part of the IFK system, based on the island of Lidingö outside Stockholm. Although the club takes part in numerous sports, it is most famous for its football, athletics and orienteering sections. The football team are called IFK Lidingö FK.The club was founded...
.
Aside from the IFK members in Sweden and the separately organised IFK members in Finland, there did also exist IFK associations in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The last active member in Denmark was IFK Aalborg that ceased to exist in the early 90s, while the Norwegian member in Kristiania (Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
) ended its activities early in the 20th century.
Symbols and colours
IFK's colours are blue and white. They are used by almost all member clubs, and those clubs that do not use them have special permits from the central organisation for using other colours, like IFK MalmöIFK Malmö
IFK Malmö is a Swedish football club located in Malmö. The club was founded April 23, 1899.- History :The club was founded in 1899 making it the oldest football club in Malmö. IFK participated in the first season of Allsvenskan in 1924/25. The club has altogether played 13 seasons in the premier...
that uses yellow and white or IFK Stockholm
IFK Stockholm
IFK Stockholm is multi-sports club in Stockholm, Sweden. It is most known for its football team.- Background :The club was formed 1 February 1895 as IF Kamraterna by two young students, Louis Zettersten and Pehr Ehnemark, and was the first IFK club...
's blue and red kits. The colours are believed to symbolise innocence and loyalty as written, by the IFK society master, in Kamraten in 1899. Symbols used by IFK include the four-pointed star in blue or white, the blue shield with white stripe and the characteristically formed top with two rounded parts between three peaks which can be seen in most of the member clubs' badges, although some use other styles. The IFK flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
is described as a blue and white Scandinavian cross
Flag terminology
Flag terminology is a jargon used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.-Description of standard flag parts and terms:...
on white background with a blue four-pointed star in the canton
Flag terminology
Flag terminology is a jargon used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.-Description of standard flag parts and terms:...
.
Noted clubs
Sweden- IFK GöteborgIFK GöteborgIFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
- IFK LidingöIFK LidingöIFK Lidingö is a Swedish sports club, part of the IFK system, based on the island of Lidingö outside Stockholm. Although the club takes part in numerous sports, it is most famous for its football, athletics and orienteering sections. The football team are called IFK Lidingö FK.The club was founded...
- IFK MalmöIFK MalmöIFK Malmö is a Swedish football club located in Malmö. The club was founded April 23, 1899.- History :The club was founded in 1899 making it the oldest football club in Malmö. IFK participated in the first season of Allsvenskan in 1924/25. The club has altogether played 13 seasons in the premier...
- IFK Mora
- IFK NorrköpingIFK NorrköpingIFK Norrköping is a Swedish football club based in Norrköping. The club, formed on 29 May 1897, is currently playing in the first division of Swedish football, Allsvenskan...
- IFK StockholmIFK StockholmIFK Stockholm is multi-sports club in Stockholm, Sweden. It is most known for its football team.- Background :The club was formed 1 February 1895 as IF Kamraterna by two young students, Louis Zettersten and Pehr Ehnemark, and was the first IFK club...
- IFK UmeåIFK UmeåIFK Umeå is a Swedish football club located in Umeå in Västerbotten County.-Background:Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna Umeå was formed on the 6th November 1901. The club has 9 sections covering badminton, bandy, bowling, boxing, football, athletics, orienteering, skiing and weightlifting...
- IFK Växjö
Finland
- Helsingfors IFK (commonly known as HIFKHIFKIdrottsföreningen Kamraterna i Helsingfors is a sports club from Helsinki, Finland. Formed in 1897 HIFK is the oldest IFK club in Finland. The club has activities in many sports, including football, ice hockey, bandy, floorball, handball, athletics and bowling. HIFK Soccer ry is part of the...
) - IFK MariehamnIFK MariehamnIFK Mariehamn is a Finnish football club, based in Mariehamn, capital of the Åland Islands. It currently plays in the Finnish Premier Division . The club's manager is Pekka Lyyski, and it plays its home matches at Wiklöf Holding Arena....
- Vasa IFKVasa IFKVasa IFK is a Finnish football club, located in Vaasa. It was founded in 1900. The club changed its name in 1988 after a merger with another club BK-48, and was called BK-IFK during the late 1900s. The name was changed back to VIFK in year 2000....
(commonly known as VIFK) - Åbo IFKÅbo IFKÅbo IFK is a sports club from Turku, Finland. The club was founded in 1908.-Background:The greatest successes of ÅIFK have come in football where it has won three Finnish championship titles, in 1910, 1920 and 1924. It has played a total of 9 seasons in the Finnish premier division Mestaruussarja,...
(commonly known as ÅIFK) - Grankulla IFKGrankulla IFKGrankulla IFK, or GrIFK as the name is commonly abbreviated, is a Finnish sports club from the city of Kauniainen. The club was formed in 1925 and the main activities covered are football, ice-hockey, handball and floorball. The club’s main football team is currently playing in the Kakkonen, the...
(commonly known as GrIFK)
Achievements
- Swedish football championshipsAllsvenskanAllsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
: 31- IFK GöteborgIFK GöteborgIFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
18, IFK NorrköpingIFK NorrköpingIFK Norrköping is a Swedish football club based in Norrköping. The club, formed on 29 May 1897, is currently playing in the first division of Swedish football, Allsvenskan...
12, IFK EskilstunaIFK EskilstunaIFK Eskilstuna is a Swedish football club located in Eskilstuna in Södermanland County. In their early seasons IFK had a proud record as a Allsvenskan club but they now play in Division 3 Västra Svealand which is the fifth tier of Swedish football....
1
- IFK Göteborg
- Finnish Football ChampionshipsVeikkausliigaVeikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, comprising the top 12 clubs of the country. Veikkausliiga is currently ranked as the 28th best league in Europe. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name...
: 13- IFK Helsingfors 7, IFK ÅboÅbo IFKÅbo IFK is a sports club from Turku, Finland. The club was founded in 1908.-Background:The greatest successes of ÅIFK have come in football where it has won three Finnish championship titles, in 1910, 1920 and 1924. It has played a total of 9 seasons in the Finnish premier division Mestaruussarja,...
3, IFK VasaVasa IFKVasa IFK is a Finnish football club, located in Vaasa. It was founded in 1900. The club changed its name in 1988 after a merger with another club BK-48, and was called BK-IFK during the late 1900s. The name was changed back to VIFK in year 2000....
3
- IFK Helsingfors 7, IFK Åbo
- UEFA Cup championshipsUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
: 2- IFK GöteborgIFK GöteborgIFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
2
- IFK Göteborg
- Finnish Ice Hockey ChampionshipsSM-liigaThe SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
: 7- IFK HelsingforsHIFK (ice hockey)HIFK is an ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland. The team plays at Helsinki Ice Hall. It was founded in 1897...
7
- IFK Helsingfors
- Swedish Handball Championships: 5
- IFK Kristianstad 4, IFK LidingöIFK LidingöIFK Lidingö is a Swedish sports club, part of the IFK system, based on the island of Lidingö outside Stockholm. Although the club takes part in numerous sports, it is most famous for its football, athletics and orienteering sections. The football team are called IFK Lidingö FK.The club was founded...
1
- IFK Kristianstad 4, IFK Lidingö
- Finnish Handball Championships: 11
- IFK Helsingfors 10, IFK Grankulla 1
- Swedish Bandy Championships: 11
- IFK UppsalaIFK UppsalaIFK Uppsala is a Swedish sports club located in Uppsala, with several departments:* IFK Uppsala Fotboll, football department* IFK Uppsala Bandy, bandy department...
11
- IFK Uppsala
- Finnish Bandy ChampionshipsBandyliigaThe Bandyliiga is the top level of bandy in Finland. The league was founded in 1908, and has been played every year except 1918, 1940, and 1942.-Teams:-Champions:...
: 16- IFK Helsingfors 16