Türkiye’s wrestling heavyweight Rıza Kayaalp will step back onto the international stage this week, headlining the national team’s campaign at the Zagreb Open Wrestling Tournament in Croatia.
According to the Turkish Wrestling Federation, the competition begins Friday in the Croatian capital and will feature bouts in Greco-Roman and women’s categories.
The tournament runs through Feb. 8 and serves as both a medal test and a key step in preparations for upcoming international competitions.
For Kayaalp, the Zagreb Open marks a long-awaited return to official competition.
The 130-kilogram Greco-Roman standout, a three-time Olympic medalist and one of the most decorated wrestlers in the sport’s modern era, has not competed since June 2024, when he last appeared at a tournament in Hungary.
Kayaalp’s absence followed a four-year ban imposed in July 2024 for the use of a prohibited substance.
The veteran wrestler maintained the substance entered his system through the medication “Vastarel,” which he said he used to treat tinnitus.
He appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and CAS ruled in his favor, clearing the way for his return as of Jan. 1, 2026.
Now back on the mat, Kayaalp resumes a career that already includes five world titles and a remarkable 12 European championships. His appearance in Zagreb is expected to draw close attention as he begins the next chapter of his international career.
Türkiye will field a full squad at the Zagreb Open. In women’s wrestling, the team includes Tuba Demir (55 kg.), Elvira Süleyman Kamaloğlu (57 kg.), Bediha Gün (59 kg.), Nesrin Baş (68 kg.) and Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (72 kg.).
The Greco-Roman lineup features Ömer Halis Recep (55 kg.), Mert İlbars (60 kg.), Murat Fırat (67 kg.), Cengiz Arslan (72 kg.), Yüksel Sarıçiçek (82 kg.), Doğan Kaya (87 kg.), Abdulkadir Çebi (97 kg.) and Kayaalp (130 kg.).
Following the tournament, Turkish wrestlers will remain in the region for international training camps.
Greco-Roman athletes will continue preparations in Zagreb, while the women’s team will travel to Budapest, Hungary, for a separate camp aimed at sharpening form ahead of the next phase of the season.
