Ethnikos Piraeus is a Greekmultisport club based in Piraeus. It was founded in 1923. The full name of the club is Ethnikos Omilos Filathlon Pireos/Phalirou or Ethnikos OFPF, which means National Club of Fans of Piraeus and Phalerum. Ethnikos has sections in football, basketball, volleyball, waterpolo, swimming and field hockey. In most of these sports, Ethnikos has won titles and honours. The most successful section is the water polo, which has won many titles in both men's and women's teams. Nevertheless, the most popular is the football team, which had a remarkable tradition in the first division in the past.
Departments
Ethnikos Piraeus F.C., the football team is playing in Gamma Ethniki. It is also the current finalist of Gamma Ethniki Cup.
Ethnikos Piraeus H.C., the hockey team is playing in first division. It is also the current winner of Championship.
Ethnikos Piraeus Swimming team
History
Early years
Ethnikos was founded in 1923 under the name Keravnos. One year later the club was renamed to Young Boys Titan. On 23 December 1924, Young Boys Titan merged with the club Peiraikos Podosfairikos Omilos and renamed to Ethnikos. During the early years Ethnikos enjoyed successes by the teams of football, waterpolo and swimming. Ethnikos swimming team won two Panhellenic championships in 1926 and 1927. Ethnikos water polo team won the first championship organised by SEGAS in 1926 and another one in 1931. Ethnikos football team won the second football cup of the Greek football in 1933. The football team also was the runner-up in the first Greek Panhellenic Championship, in 1928. Ethnikos claimed the championship two more times. The first time was in 1929, when it won the championship of Piraeus and qualified for the Panhellenic championship but this wasn’t held. The second time was in 1935, when Ethnikos was the winner of championship of South Greece and qualified for the final of Panhellenic Championship, but eventually the final wasn’t held.
The first postwar years
After Second World War Ethnikos created a strong team both football and waterpolo. The football team was runner-up of 1955-56 Greek championship having finished one only point behind the head of the standings, Olympiacos. The next season Ethnikos was one of the favorite for the title but it was denied the title because of a strict punishment by EPO. The reason of punishment was the conduct of football games with the exiled football team of Hungary. Ethnikos water polo team dominated entirely in Water Polo Championship, taking the majority of titles between 1950 and 1990. Ethnikos won 18 consecutive championships from 1953 to 1970 and 14 consecutive championships from 1972 to 1985.
Last years
The fall of football team of Ethnikos started in the early of 1990's. In 1989-90 season Ethnikos was relegated to Beta Ethniki for first time, after 31 consecutive appearances A Ethniki. The football team of Ethnikos owed a big part of success in the longtime President Dimitris Karellas. After his death in 1993, the football team of Ethnikos didn't manage to return to successes. Water polo team continued to give successes to Ethnikos. Ethnikos Women's water polo team, winning the LEN trophy cup in 2010, won the first European cup of Ethnikos. In 2011 Ethnikos created a field hockey team. Ethnikos Piraes field hockey has won two championships so far in 2012 and 2014.
Sport facilities
The first years Ethnikos was playing in Neo Phaliron Velodrome. In the place of velodrome, the Karaiskakis Stadium was built in 1960 and became the new home of Ethnikos. Ethnikos had been playing in Karaiskaki until 2004, when the stadium renovated. The next years Ethnikos played in different stadiums. More often, it plays in Hellinikon Stadium. The water polo team plays in national natatorium of Piraeus, known also as Petros Kapageroff formerly Papastrateio. The basketball and volleyball team play in Panagiotis Salpeas gymnasium in the centre of Piraeus.
