the university of aberdeen sports union was created in 1999 from an amalgamation of three student bodies, to create the aberdeen university students' association. at this point the ancient athletics association, as it was known, ceased to exist. at first the new sports body was called sports council but in 2002 this changed to sports union due to confusion over the number of councils at the university. the new body is identical in set up to its sister aberdeen university societies union.