Gimnasia y Esgrima de Ituzaingó
Argentine sports club known for its basketball and rugby teams.
Club Gimnasia y Esgrima de Ituzaingó, often shortened to GEI, is a sports club in the Ituzaingó district of Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina. While it offers a range of sports, the club is most recognized for its basketball team, which plays in the Torneo Metropolitano—the premier competition run by Febamba, the Basketball Federation of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area.
In rugby union, GEI’s men’s team competes in the Tercera División, the sixth tier of the URBA league system, and the club also fields a women’s rugby team in the Torneo Femenino organized by the same union. Its field hockey section is affiliated with the Buenos Aires Hockey Association (AHBA) and takes part in its tournaments. Beyond these, the club hosts activities including Basque pelota, chess, fencing, football, handball, hatha yoga, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, and yoga, as well as artistic pursuits like musical theatre and tango.
The club was founded on June 25, 1925, by a group that gathered at Aquiles Longoni’s house, with Jorge Passo elected as its first president. In 1936, three members donated a winning Christmas Lottery ticket, and the prize money was used to buy the land where GEI built its facilities. The rugby team first played in 1960, in the UBA championship’s third division, made up of senior players who had moved from the Los Matreros Rugby club and young players promoted from GEI’s junior divisions. In the late 1970s, the club hosted a tennis championship featuring well-known Argentine players Ivanna Madruga and Carlos Gattiker.
- founded
- June 25, 1925
- location
- Ituzaingó, Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina
- first president
- Jorge Passo
- known for
- Basketball team (Torneo Metropolitano)
- other sports
- Rugby union, field hockey, basque pelota, chess, fencing, football, handball, hatha yoga, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, yoga, musical theatre, tango
Lore & Background
The club was founded on June 25, 1925, by a group meeting at Aquiles Longoni's house, with Jorge Passo as its first president. In 1936, three members donated a Christmas Lottery ticket that won the prize, and the money was used to acquire land for the club's facilities. The rugby team first competed in 1960 in the 3rd Division of the UBA championship, formed by senior players from Los Matreros Rugby and young players from GEI's junior divisions.
Reader's Guide
Club Gimnasia y Esgrima de Ituzaingó holds significance as a multi-sport institution in Greater Buenos Aires, with its basketball team playing in the Torneo Metropolitano, the main competition of Febamba. The club's rugby union team competes in the Tercera División (sixth division) of the URBA league system, and it also fields a women's rugby team in the Torneo Femenino. Its field hockey section is affiliated with the Buenos Aires Hockey Association. The club's history includes a notable lottery win in 1936 that funded its grounds, and a tennis championship in the late 1970s featuring future Argentine stars Ivanna Madruga and Carlos Gattiker. Beyond sports, GEI hosts artistic activities such as musical theatre and tango, reflecting its role as a community hub.
Did You Know?
- The club was founded on June 25, 1925, at Aquiles Longoni's house.
- In 1936, three members donated a winning Christmas Lottery ticket, funding the club's land purchase.
- The rugby team debuted in 1960, drawing players from Los Matreros Rugby and GEI junior divisions.
- A tennis championship in the late 1970s featured future Argentine players Ivanna Madruga and Carlos Gattiker.
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