KAYSERI
President of the Turkish Wrestling Federation, Hamza Yerlikaya, on Friday said, "Turkey can be rest assured that we will participate at the Olympics to be held in 2016, 2020 and 2024" in regards to International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to drop wrestling from its schedule for the 2020 Olympic Games.
Yerlikaya made a press conference in the central Anatolian province of Kayseri.
Stating that International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to drop wrestling from its schedule for the 2020 Olympic Games was a tremendous mistake, Yerlikaya said, "Wrestling will take place in 2016 Rio Olympics. IOC definitely has its own reasons to open this issue for discussion. However, wrestling represents one of the five rings on the symbol of Olympics as wrestling was one of the five branches that the Olympics began with in 1896. Sacred heritage of such kind can't be pushed aside at once. Therefore, Turkey can be rest assured that we will participate at the Olympics to be held in 2016, 2020 and 2024. The Federation has shortcomings in the issue and will try to overcome these."
Yerlikaya also celebrated Women's Day and stated that there were 25 wrestling clubs around the country serving women wrestlers.
