Of the 45,923 licensed athletes within the body of sports federations of special athletes who are physically challenged, visually or hearing-impaired in Turkey, 530 have taken home medals, 187 of which are gold, in international competitions this season.
According to the Turkish Special Athletes Sports Federation (TÖSSFED), 630 clubs had been granted accreditation to take part in activities in 2022, and there were 21,890 licensed athletes overall.
In 2022, TÖSSFED athletes who participated in athletics, basketball, equestrian, cycling, bowling, bocce, gymnastics, football, futsal, judo, skiing, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and swimming have managed to pocket a total of 25 gold, 18 silver and 34 bronze medals.
The Turkish Physically Handicapped Sports Federation (TBESF) has 8,347 athletes who took part in wheelchair dance, para-athletics, swimming, sailing, fencing, para weightlifting, para arm wrestling, amputee football, volleyball, basketball, badminton and wheelchair tennis.
This season, the federation has shelved a total of 303 medals, including 119 gold, 103 silver and 81 bronze medals.
While there are 11,431 licensed athletes, 9,246 men and 2,185 women, within the body of the Turkish Deaf Sports Federation (TIESF), the athletes participate in 24 different sports.
Hearing-impaired athletes in the 2021-2022 season of football, basketball, volleyball, handball, taekwondo, badminton, athletics, cycling, bowling, futsal, wrestling, tennis, swimming, skiing, judo, karate, table tennis, beach volleyball, golf, orienteering and shooting won a total of 96 medals, 23 gold, 36 silver and 37 bronze, in sailing, chess and curling branches.
There are 4,255 licensed athletes, 944 of whom are women, within the body of the Turkish Visually Impaired Sports Federation (TGESF).
Athletes with visual impairments do sports in goalball, B1 football with low vision, B2 and B3 futsal, athletics, swimming and judo for those with low vision.
Visually impaired athletes won a total of 54 medals, 20 gold, 21 silver and 13 bronze medals in the 2022 season.
The goalball team also managed to collectively bag first prizes this season.
