Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata (; La Plata Gymnastics and Fencing Club), also known simply as Gimnasia, is an Argentine professional sports club based in the city of La Plata, Buenos Aires Province. Founded in 1887 as "Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima",Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, 100 Años, by Carlos Asnaghi, Editorial Ceyne, 1988 – the club is mostly known for its football team, which currently plays in Primera División, the first division of the Argentine football league system. The club was most famously managed by footballing legend Diego Maradona, from September 2019 until his death in November 2020.
Apart from football, CGE also hosts a large number of sports such as athletics, basketball, boxing, chess, fencing, futsal, artistic gymnastics, field hockey, martial arts (aikido, karate, kendo, taekwondo), swimming, roller skating, tennis, volleyball, and weightlifting.
History
The "Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata" was founded on 3 June 1887 as a civil association, and thus is the oldest surviving football club still participating in the Argentine league. The club also claims to be the oldest football club in the Americas, despite other football clubs, such as Peruvian Lima Cricket F.C., having older foundation dates. Its foundation came barely five years after the creation of the City of La Plata in 1882."Orígenes históricos de la fundación de La Plata" by Fernando Barba , El Día, 20 March 2009
The first sports offered to its members were, as its Spanish name indicates, gymnastics and fencing. Clubs supporting these sports were common among the upper classes at the end of the 19th century (cf. the prior foundation of Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires in 1880). Later on, other disciplines were added, including track and field, football, basketball and rugby.
The institution changed name a few times: from April to December 1897 it was called a "Club de Esgrima" (in English, "Fencing Club") because fencing was the only activity practised at that moment. On 17 December 1897 it returned to its original name: "Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima" ("Gymnastics and Fencing Club"). From July 1952 to 30 September 1955, the club was named "Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima de Eva Perón" ("Gymnastics and Fencing Club of Eva Perón"), because the city of La Plata itself had been renamed "Eva Perón" in 1952, after Eva Perón's death. The city returned to its previous name during the government of the "Liberating Revolution", and so did the club. However, it remained unduly identified legally as "Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata" ("Gymnastics and Fencing Club of La Plata"), a mistake that was corrected on 7 August 1964 after the new statute was approved.
Gimnasia y Esgrima was promoted to the first division after becoming champions of the División Intermedia of Argentine football in 1915. Later, in 1929, the club won its first Primera División championship. During successive years, Gimnasia became champion of Primera B in 1944, 1947 and 1952 and won the Copa Centenario de la AFA in 1994. Additionally, the squad has been a runner-up in the Primera División on five occasions. The club has remained at the top level of Argentine football for 73 seasons, tying it with Newell's Old Boys for the eighth longest participation at this level.
Clásico Platense
The Clásico Platense (La Plata derby) is the nickname given to the match between La Plata's two main football teams: Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Estudiantes de La Plata. The first official derby took place as part of the Primera División season on 27 August 1916. On that occasion, Gimnasia won 1–0 over Estudiantes, with an own goal by Ludovico Pastor."El fútbol en La Plata" on LaPlataMagica.com.ar
The first derby of the professional era took place on 14 June 1931. Between 12 August 1932 and 9 September 1934 Gimnasia won five consecutive La Plata derbies, the longest run of victories in that derby until Estudiantes emulated that feat in 2006–08. On 25 June 1963 Gimnasia obtained a 5–2 victory, this being the best result so far against Estudiantes. On the other hand, Gimnasia's worst result was a 7–0 defeat on 15 October 2006.
A curiosity among the derbies occurred on 5 April 1992, when Gimnasia won over Estudiantes 1–0 at the latter's stadium. On that date, as the stands erupted and Gimnasia's fans shouted in celebration at the goal being scored, the seismograph of the local Astronomical Observatory registered a low-intensity seismic event. That goal was scored by the Uruguayan José Perdomo on a freekick, and it has been known ever since as "El gol del terremoto" ("The earthquake goal").
Presidents
Through more than 120 years of history, the Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata has had 56 presidents, who are elected individuals who took on the responsibility of steering the Institution. Many of them contributed to the growth of the club over the years. Some of them have remained more vivid in the fans' memory for their achievements or outstanding works.
Saturnino Perdriel was the founder and first president of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata. Perdriel was a merchant during the first few years of the city of La Plata, in addition to being a civil servant at the Treasury Department of the Province of Buenos Aires. He died prematurely in 1888, after one year as Club president.
Currently, the President of Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata is chosen by its associates, by means of general elections that take place every three years. Any club member over 18 years of age, and with at least three years membership of the club, have a right to vote. Members with over seven years membership have a right to be elected to the Club governmental body, the Management Commission or "Directory".
The most recent President of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata is Gabriel Pellegrino, who refused to run for re-election in 2019. On 15 December 2019, however, Pellegrino, who was encouraged to seek re-election from club manager Diego Maradona, was re-elected to a three-year term.
Facilities Gimnasia's facilities include, besides its football stadium, a campus of 160 hectares, a campus for children's football, a sports center, a kindergarten, a primary school and one high school. There are also dozens of subsidiaries located in the country and the world.
Estadio Juan Carmelo Zerillo: also known as El Bosque (Spanish for "the forest", because it is located in the La Plata park of the same name), has the capacity to accommodate approximately 24,544 spectators. Estancia Chica: It is a property of 160 hectares, where the professional football team trains before each match. El Bosquecito: It is a campus of 11 hectares where children's categories practice and play. Other: The club has opened a kindergarten in 1999 (works on Calle 62 No. 474), a Primary School called "Dr. René Favaloro" opened in 2001 (on streets 123 and 58) and a High School opened in early 2008. Polideportivo Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata: Opened in 1978, Gimnasia y Esgrima has a sports complex, where it competes in the first division of basketball and volleyball with a capacity for 2,600 people, which rises to 3,500 spectators when performing musicals. Headquarters: In addition to the administration of the club and the attention of the members, it is possible to play sports like basketball and volleyball, among others. It also has a gym.
Anthem The official anthem of Gimnasia was written in 1915 by the popular poet born in Magdalena, Délfor B. Méndez and the music was composed by the master Juan Serpentini, who composed versions of the Argentine National Anthem and "El tambor de Tacuarí", with Rafael Obligado's letter.
The official anthem of Gimnasia was intoned by the first time on 9 July 1915 on the occasion of the reception that was given to the delegation of the club River Plate of Uruguay. In 1967 the official anthem was recorded by the musical ensemble of the Buenos Aires Police.
Emblems and colors
Badge
The current shield of Gimnasia y Esgrima is a wreath in which, in the top part, a helmet is outlined with a heraldic crest. At the center, on enamel and with the colors of the club (white and navy blue), is the club monogram appears. In the top cantons, like a guard, there appears the hilts of a saber and a foil, with their sharp points emerging in lower part of the shield. To the sides of the center laurels spread around the helmet.
Since its inception, the club shield has undergone some modifications. The first symbol of the club appeared on a document dated 30 April 1888. This emblem consisted in the coat of arms of La Plata with the legend "Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata – Mens Sana in Corpore Sano" surrounding it. The second seal appeared between 1894 and 1897, with the legend "Club de Esgrima" (fencing was the only activity of the club by then).La institución on GELP website
But the first heraldic emblem was indeed devised in 1901 by artist Emilio Coutauret, who was also a member of GELP board. That emblem was characterized by a handcrafted and adorned design. Because this symbol could not be reproduced easily at small sizes, the club commissioned technical draftsman Raúl Felices to design a more synthetic emblem. As a result, a new symbol was released in 1928. It has remained until present days.
During Héctor Domínguez's presidency, the abbreviation CGE (Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima) at the center of the shield was replaced by GELP (Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata). Since the beginning of Walter Gisande's presidency, it was decided to return to the original abbreviation of 'CGE'.
Uniform The official historical uniform of Gimnasia y Esgrima is based on the colours displayed in the club shield, as established in the institutional statute, a white jersey with a single horizontal navy-blue stripe over the chest.
In the first years of the institution, the colors adopted were white and light blue, seeking to highlight the fact that it was an Argentine club. The first vest used by the team had vertical white and light blue stripes.
In 1905, it was decided to change the colors to make it distinct from Racing Club. This resulted in a vest with vertical stripes of white and navy-blue color.
Finally, in 1910, the design was modified, changing the vertical stripes into the horizontal band of navy-blue color over a white jersey, which has been used ever since.
Uniform evolution
Apparel and sponsors
The table below details the companies that provided the team's apparel, and have been sponsoring the club since 1980 to date:
Period Manufacturer 1978–81 Adidas 1982–84 Topper 1985–93 Adidas 1993–98 Hummel 1999–00 New Balance 2001–08 Puma 2009–10 Kappa 2011–17 Penalty 2017–21 Le Coq Sportif 2021–22 Hummel 2023–25 Givova 2026– Joma
Period Sponsor 1990–92Pegamax 1992Diario El Día 1993–01Banco Municipal de La Plata 2001–02Fideos Manera 2002Ticket Vip 2003–04Suin 2004Liderar Seguros 2005Medical Hair 2006Crown Mustang 2007–08Motomel 2008–10La Nueva Seguros 2010– Rapicuotas
Supporters Fan base
Within the city of La Plata and its environs, Gimnasia's fan base used to be identified with the working class, in contrast with the mostly middle class Estudiantes' constituency. Most of Gimnasia y Esgrima fans are from the Greater La Plata area. The club currently has 35,000 members. It is one of the 10 clubs with the most members in Argentina.
The barra brava section named itself "La 22", after 22nd street in La Plata where many famous violent fans lived, notably Marcelo Amuchástegui. Known as Loco Fierro, Amuchástegui was famous for his exploits, such as hanging a 100-meter Gimnasia flag in the Bombonera stadium. He was shot to death by Rosarian police in a murky episode on 28 May 1991, allegedly during an armed robbery.
Several surveys carried out over the years in Argentina, place Gimnasia in the eighth place in the ranking with the most fans in Argentina.