# Turkish Wrestling Federation

Turkish Wrestling Federation (Turkish: Türkiye Güreş Federasyonu, TGF) is the governing body for wrestling in Turkey. It aims to govern, encourage and develop the sport for all throughout the country.
TGF has been established in 1923, and is headquartered in Ankara. TGF is a member of United World Wrestling (UWW), formerly known as the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA).
The federation organizes the national wrestling events, and European and World championships hosted by Turkey. In addition, the TGF promotes and organizes traditional wrestling styles such as oil wrestling and Karakucak.

## International participation
### Olympics

| Year | Host Country | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1924 | France | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1928 | Netherlands | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936 | Germany | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1948 | United Kingdom | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 11 |
| 1952 | Finland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 1956 | Australia | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 1960 | Italy | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| 1964 | Japan | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 1968 | Mexico | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1972 | West Germany | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1976 | Canada | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | United States | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1988 | South Korea | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1992 | Spain | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 1996 | United States | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2000 | Australia | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2004 | Greece | 14 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2008 | China | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2012 | United Kingdom | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | Brazil | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 2020 | Japan | 17 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 2024 | France | 18 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |

### World Championships

| Year | Host Country | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1950 | Sweden | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 1951 | Finland | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 1953 | Italy | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1954 | Japan | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 1955 | West Germany | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 1957 | Turkey | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1958 | Hungary | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 1959 | Iran | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 1961 | Japan | 7 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 1962 | United States | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
| 1963 | Bulgaria Sweden | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 1965 | United Kingdom Finland | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1966 | United States | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| 1967 | India Romania | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1970 | Canada | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1971 | Bulgaria | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1973 | Iran | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | Turkey Poland | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 1975 | Soviet Union | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1977 | Switzerland Sweden | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1978 | Mexico | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | Yugoslavia Norway | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1982 | Canada Poland | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1983 | Soviet Union | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1985 | Hungary Norway | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | Hungary | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | France Norway | 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989 | Switzerland | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 | Japan Sweden | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1991 | Bulgaria Japan | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1993 | Canada Sweden Norway | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1994 | Turkey Finland Bulgaria | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1995 | United States Czech Republic Russia | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 1997 | Russia Poland France | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 1998 | Iran Sweden Poland | 13 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 1999 | Turkey Greece Sweden | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2000 | Bulgaria | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | Bulgaria Greece | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 | Iran Russia Greece | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2003 | United States France | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | Hungary | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 2006 | China | 13 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2007 | Azerbaijan | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 | Japan | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | Denmark | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2010 | Russia | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 2011 | Turkey | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 2012 | Canada | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | Hungary | 16 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2014 | Uzbekistan | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| 2015 | United States | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 2016 | Hungary | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017 | France | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 2018 | Hungary | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| 2019 | Kazakhstan | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 2021 | Norway | 13 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2022 | Serbia | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| 2023 | Serbia | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 2024 | Albania | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |

### European Championships

| Year | Host Country | Medal Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1938 | Estonia | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1939 | Norway | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1946 | Sweden | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 1947 | Czechoslovakia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 1949 | Turkey | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 1966 | West Germany | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 1967 | Turkey Soviet Union | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 1968 | Yugoslavia Sweden | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 1969 | Italy Bulgaria | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 1970 | East Germany | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 1972 | Poland | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1973 | Switzerland Finland | 7 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 1974 | Spain | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1975 | West Germany | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 1976 | Soviet Union | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1977 | Turkey | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 1978 | Bulgaria | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1979 | Romania | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1980 | Czechoslovakia | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | Sweden Poland | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1982 | Bulgaria | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1983 | Hungary | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1984 | Sweden | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1985 | East Germany | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1986 | Greece | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | Bulgaria Finland | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 1988 | United Kingdom Norway | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1989 | Turkey Finland | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 |
| 1990 | Poland | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 1991 | Germany | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 1992 | Denmark Hungary | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| 1993 | Russia Turkey | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 1994 | Greece Italy | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 1995 | France Switzerland | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 1996 | Norway Hungary | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 1997 | Finland Poland | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 1998 | Belarus Slovakia | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 1999 | Bulgaria Belarus | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2000 | Russia Hungary | 13 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2001 | Turkey Hungary | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 2002 | Azerbaijan Finland | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 2003 | Latvia Serbia and Montenegro | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 2004 | Turkey Sweden | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 2005 | Bulgaria | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 2006 | Russia | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 2007 | Bulgaria | 15 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 2008 | Finland | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 2009 | Lithuania | 9 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 2010 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 2011 | Germany | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2012 | Serbia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 2013 | Georgia | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 2014 | Finland | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
| 2015 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| 2016 | Latvia | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 2017 | Serbia | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| 2018 | Russia | 2 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 13 |
| 2019 | Romania | 2 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 16 |
| 2020 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| 2021 | Poland | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| 2022 | Hungary | 1 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| 2023 | Croatia | 1 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 17 |
| 2024 | Romania | 1 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 17 |

### European Games

| Year | Host Country | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 2015 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| 2019 | Belarus | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |

### Mediterranean Games

| Year | Host Country | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1951 | Egypt | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1955 | Spain | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 1959 | Lebanon | 1 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 1963 | Italy | 1 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| 1967 | Tunisia | 1 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| 1971 | Turkey | 1 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| 1975 | Algeria | 1 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 17 |
| 1979 | Yugoslavia | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 14 |
| 1983 | Morocco | 1 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 16 |
| 1987 | Syria | 1 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 13 |
| 1991 | Greece | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 1993 | France | 1 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 18 |
| 1997 | Italy | 1 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 13 |
| 2001 | Tunisia | 1 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 19 |
| 2005 | Spain | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| 2009 | Italy | 1 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 13 |
| 2013 | Turkey | 1 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 19 |
| 2018 | Spain | 1 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| 2022 | Algeria | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 14 |

### Islamic Solidarity Games

| Year | Host Country | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 2017 | Azerbaijan | 4 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 19 |
| 2022 | Turkey | 5 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 19 |

### Military World Games

| Year | Host Country | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1995 | Italy | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 1999 | Croatia | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 | India | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2015 | South Korea | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | China | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |

### Summer Universiade

| Year | Host Country | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1973 | Soviet Union | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | Bulgaria | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | Romania | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | Turkey | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| 2013 | Russia | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |

## Notable wrestlers
### Freestyle
#### Men's

* Mustafa Dağıstanlı (1931-2022), twice Olympic, triple world champion
* Taha Akgül (born 1990), Olympic, triple world, eleven-times European champion
* Ahmet Ayık (born 1938), Olympic, twice world, twice European champion
* Yaşar Doğu (1913–1961), Olympic, world and triple European champion
* Mahmut Demir (born 1970), Olympic, world and triple European champion
* Celal Atik (1918–1979), Olympic, world and twice European champion
* Nasuh Akar (1925–1984), Olympic,world and European champion
* Ramazan Şahin (born 1983), Olympic,world, European champion
* Mahmut Atalay (1934–2004), Olympic,world champion
* Gazanfer Bilge (1924–2008), Olympic, European champion
* Ahmet Bilek (1932–1970), Olympic champion
* Hasan Gemici (1927–2001), Olympic champion
* Hasan Güngör (1934–2011), Olympic champion
* İsmet Atlı (1931–2014), Olympic champion
* Bayram Şit (1930-2019), Olympic champion
* İsmail Ogan (1933–2020), Olympic champion
* Hüseyin Akbaş (1933–1989), twice Olympic medalist, four-times world champion
* Aydın Polatçı (born 1977), Olympic medalist,world, twice European champion
* Soner Demirtaş (born 1991), Olympic medalist, triple European champion
* Ahmet Kireççi (1914–1979), Olympic medalist
* Adil Candemir (1917–1989), Olympic medalist
* Adil Atan (1929–1989), Olympic medalist
* Halit Balamir (1922–2009), Olympic medalist
* İbrahim Zengin (1931-2013), Olympic medalist
* Vehbi Akdağ (1949–2020), Olympic medalist
* Ayhan Taşkın (born 1953), Olympic medalist
* Necmi Gençalp (born 1960), Olympic medalist
* Kenan Şimşek (born 1968), Olympic medalist
* Adem Bereket (born 1973), Olympic medalist
* Selim Yaşar (born 1990), Olympic medalist
* Sebahattin Öztürk (born 1969), world, European champion
* Harun Doğan (born 1976), world, European champion
* Zekeriya Güçlü (1972-2010), world champion
* Feyzullah Aktürk (born 1999), triple European champion
* Mehmet Esenceli (born 1940), twice European champion
* Süleyman Atlı (born 1994), twice European champion
* Fevzi Şeker (1962-2011), European champion
* Reşit Karabacak (1954-2020), European champion
* Ahmet Ak (born 1966), European champion
* Yüksel Şanlı (born 1973), European champion
* Fatih Çakıroğlu (born 1981), European champion
* Tevfik Odabaşı (born 1981), European champion
* Rıza Yıldırım (born 1987), European champion
* Mustafa Kaya (born 1992), European champion
* Süleyman Karadeniz (born 1995), European champion

#### Women's

* Yasemin Adar Yiğit (born 1991), Olympic medalist,twice world, seven-times European champion
* Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (born 1995), Olympic medalist, world, European champion
* Elif Jale Yeşilırmak (born 1986), European champion
* Evin Demirhan Yavuz (born 1995), European champion
* Nesrin Baş (born 2002), European champion

### Greco-Roman style

* Hamza Yerlikaya (born 1976), twice Olympic, triple world, eight-times European champion
* Mithat Bayrak (1929-2014), twice Olympic champion
* Tevfik Kış (1934-2019), Olympic, twice world, European champion
* Kazım Ayvaz (1938-2020), Olympic, twice world champion
* Ahmet Kireççi (1914–1979), Olympic champion
* Yaşar Erkan (1911–1986), Olympic champion
* Mehmet Oktav (1917–1996), Olympic champion
* Müzahir Sille (1931–2016), Olympic champion
* Mehmet Akif Pirim (born 1968), Olympic champion
* Rıza Kayaalp (born 1989), triple Olympic medalist, five-times world, twelve-times European champion
* Nazmi Avluca (born 1976), Olympic medalist, twice world, four-times European champion
* Şeref Eroğlu (born 1975), Olympic medalist, world, six-times European champion
* Hakkı Başar (born 1969), Olympic medalist, world, European champion
* Mehmet Özal (born 1978), Olympic medalist, world champion
* Dursun Ali Eğribaş (1933-2014), Olympic medalist
* Kenan Olcay (born 1914), Olympic medalist
* Halil Kaya (born 1920), Olympic medalist
* Rıza Doğan (1931–2004), Olympic medalist, world champion
* Muhlis Tayfur (1922–2008), Olympic medalist
* Ali Kayalı (born 1965), Olympic medalist
* Cenk İldem (born 1986), Olympic medalist
* Selçuk Çebi (born 1982), triple world champion
* Metehan Başar (born 1991), twice world champion
* Burhan Akbudak (born 1995), world, European champion
* Muharrem Candaş (1921-2009), world champion
* Ercan Yıldız (born 1974), world champion
* Ali Cengiz (born 1996), world champion
* Sırrı Acar (born 1943), twice European champion
* İsmail Güzel (born 1989), European champion
* Murat Fırat (born 1997), European champion
* Kerem Kamal (born 1999), European champion
* Adem Uzun (born 2001), European champion
* Selçuk Can (born 1995), European champion
* Alperen Berber (born 2005), European champion

## International organizations in Turkey

* 1949 European Wrestling Championships, 25 June - 3 July, Istanbul
* 1956 Wrestling World Cup, 25–31 May, Istanbul
* 1957 World Wrestling Championships, June 1–2, Istanbul
* 1967 European Wrestling Championships, 07 – 10 July, Istanbul
* 1974 World Wrestling Championships (Freestyle), August 29-September, Istanbul
* 1977 European Wrestling Championships, 26 – 29 May, Bursa
* 1989 European Wrestling Championships,(Freestyle) 12 – 14 May, Ankara
* 1993 European Wrestling Championships, 20-28 August, Istanbul
* 1994 World Wrestling Championships (Freestyle), August 25–28, Istanbul
* 1999 World Wrestling Championships (Freestyle), October 7–10, Ankara
* 2001 European Wrestling Championships (Greco-Romane), 19 - 22 April, Istanbul
* 2004 European Wrestling Championships (Freestyle), 23 – 25 April, Ankara
* 2008 World Junior Wrestling Championships, July 29 – August 4, Istanbul
* 2009 World Junior Wrestling Championships, August 4–9, Ankara
* 2011 World Wrestling Championships, September 12–18, Istanbul
* Wrestling at the 2013 Mediterranean Games, 22-26 June, Mersin
* 2015 European Juniors Wrestling Championships, 23–28 June, Istanbul
* 2016 World Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament 2, 6–8 May, Istanbul
* 2018 European U23 Wrestling Championship, 4-10 June, Istanbul
* Wrestling at the 2021 Islamic Solidarity Games, 10-13 August, Konya
* 2023 U17 World Wrestling Championships, 31 July–6 August, Istanbul
* 2024 World Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament, 9–12 May, Istanbul