Athletic sport life progressed in Cilicia in the early 20th century with the coaches that were invited to Adana from Istanbul. Varag Pogharian and Mateos Zarifian played an important role in the organization of the athletic movement and the first sports clubs in the city were founded by the Armenian community. Adana Türkgücü were founded in 1913 by Ahmet Remzi Bey and İsmail Sefa Bey in alliance with the Istanbul Türkgücü club that is initiated by the Committee of Union and Progress. Athletic clubs of Adana joined the Cilician Olympic Games that were held in April 1914 at a venue north of Dörtyol, first of its kind in the region. Adana İdman Yurdu, Adana Türk Ocağı, Seyhanspor and Milli Mensucat clubs were founded in the city in the 1920s, all joining the Adana Football League that was established in 1924 with the clubs from other Cilician provinces. Adanaspor that were founded in 1932 and Adana Demirspor that were founded in 1940, later on joined the Çukurova League.