Former Olympic, World, and European wrestling champion Taha Akgül has officially thrown his hat in the ring for the presidency of the Turkish Wrestling Federation.
In a statement posted on his social media, Akgül shared his vision for the future of Turkish wrestling. “With the strength drawn from the deep history of Turkish wrestling, I aim to carry its tradition forward,” Akgül said. “It’s time to reignite the motivation of our young wrestlers, support them, and lift them to the top. Through strong teams and successful lobbying, we will showcase the power of Turkish wrestling on both national and international stages. With that mission, I respectfully announce my candidacy for the Turkish Wrestling Federation Presidency.”
Akgül recently earned a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics before announcing his retirement from competition.
The decorated wrestler has a storied career, winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze in Tokyo in 2020. Akgül claimed a third Olympic medal in Paris and also boasts three world titles and an astounding 11 European championships.
