Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) continues supporting sports and athletes by welcoming talented young individuals in the new academic year and strengthening its contribution to the nation’s sporting life. National athletes from different disciplines in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have the chance to pursue both their education and athletic careers at EMU. Through its athletic scholarship program, the university offers up to 50% tuition fee support to students who have represented their country and actively compete in EMU sports clubs. Depending on the decision of the University Executive Board, this support can even be extended to cover full tuition.
Branches of Sports at EMU and Their Contributions to TRNC Sports
EMU plays an active role in national sports through its teams competing in volleyball, basketball, athletics, tennis, handball, billiards, chess, wrestling, cycling, table tennis, triathlon, and football tennis. The university also participates in interuniversity tournaments and leagues with its cricket, bowling, darts, swimming, futsal, and football teams, where all student-athletes enjoy scholarship opportunities. Thanks to its modern facilities, professional coaches, and strong infrastructure, EMU stands among the leading institutions fostering the growth of sports in the TRNC. In the 2024–2025 Academic Year, EMU proudly secured championships in men’s billiards, men’s darts, men’s futsal, men’s wrestling, women’s chess, women’s swimming, as well as both men’s and women’s volleyball.
EMU Offers Sports Opportunities at International Standards
Lala Mustafa Paşa Sports Complex at EMU offers students and the public access to modern, fully equipped sports studios, expert instructors, and flexible membership options. Facilities include cardio, fitness, TRX, spin bike, aerobics, pilates, and bosu studios, along with a table tennis hall that can be used free of charge.
EMU also offers a wide range of outdoor sports facilities, including three basketball courts, a volleyball court, two artificial turf fields, two beach volleyball courts, two beach tennis courts, and a skate park, all accessible day and night via a reservation system. Indoor facilities include squash courts, a jiu-jitsu studio, and a multi-purpose sports hall with a 3,500-person capacity. The university stadium features a tartan athletics track and a natural grass football field, making it a standout venue.
From EMU to the World Championship
Ese Brume – Long Jump / Athletics
Ese Brume, a 2020 graduate in Tourism and Hotel Management, has made a remarkable mark in athletics. She competed at the 2017 World Championships in London and, won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. At the 2019 KoçFest Interuniversity Athletics Championship, she set a Turkish record with a 6.76-meter jump and later secured a bronze medal in long jump at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Brume also won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and has claimed three consecutive golds at the African Athletics Championships, holding both Nigerian and African records.
Ayşe Mullacuma – Football Tennis
Exercise and Sports Sciences Department 2016 graduate Ayşe Mullacuma has earned numerous awards with the TRNC Football Tennis National Team. Mullacuma secured silver medals in singles, doubles, and women’s triples at the European Championships in Türkiye (2013, 2022) and Romania (2015, 2016, 2017, 2024). She also helped the TRNC women’s triples team achieve third place at the 2012 World Championship in Hungary and claimed second place in singles and doubles at the 2014 and 2016 World Championships in Nicosia. Additionally, she finished third at the Esther Jordi Women’s Singles Tournament in Basel in 2018.
Tuğba Aydın –Long Jump / Triple Jump
Tuğba Aydın, a 2017 graduate of the Exercise and Sports Sciences Department, has achieved notable success in long jump and triple jump. She claimed the Turkish long jump title in 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2017, and earned silver in triple jump in 2015 and 2017 before winning gold in 2018. At the International Athletics Indoor Championships, she set a personal best of 13.05 meters in 2019 and went on to improve her mark to 13.44 meters, finishing third at the 2020 Balkan Championships in Romania.
Alara Ghaffari – Billiards
EMU Public Relations and Advertising Department student Alara Ghaffari won a gold medal in 2025 Estonia European Billiards Championship.
Osman Şanlısoy – Billiards
A 2013 graduate of Department of Translation and Interpretation, Osman Şanlısoy, secured a silver medal in U23 division of 2021 European Billiards Championship held in Türkiye.
Mustafa Alnar – Billiards
Mustafa Alnar, who graduated in 2023 from the Exercise and Sports Sciences Department, claimed the gold medal in the U23 division at the 2021 European Billiards Championship in Türkiye.
Team Achievements of EMU
In 2020, EMU Chess Team and Billiards Team both captured the Turkish Interuniversity Championship titles. The Women’s Basketball Team won the Turkish Interuniversity Regional League in 2021 and 2022, and had previously finished third in the Turkish Super League in 2006. The Men’s Volleyball Team claimed the Turkish Interuniversity 1st League Championship in 2024 and secured fourth place in the Super League that same year.
EMU – The Choice of National Athletes
This semester, several accomplished athletes from TRNC national teams have joined the EMU family through the university’s sports scholarship program. They will pursue their studies while proudly representing EMU in both national and international competitions.
Members of the TRNC national teams—Aslıhan Kandil (100/200m Athletics), Ecem Nehir Çelik (Long Jump), Turgut Çelikoğlu (100/200m Athletics), and Kazım Gül (High Jump)—have started their education at EMU Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences. Kandil and Çelik compete for Türkiye’s top club Galatasaray, while Çelikoğlu and Gül are part of the accomplished Enka Sports Club.
“We are dedicated to supporting Our Athletes in Every Aspect”
In his remarks on the sports vision of the university, EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç said; “At EMU, we celebrate both the academic and athletic achievements of our students. Through our athlete scholarship program, talented sportspeople can pursue their education while continuing their athletic careers. We are proud to welcome this semester’s national team-level athletes to our community. EMU will continue to invest in sports and is dedicated to supporting our athletes in every aspect, both academically and athletically”.