The Turkish Wrestling Federation (TGF) has reshuffled key responsibilities within its Board of Directors following a meeting chaired by President Taha Akgül as the federation prepares to continue its work on the development and international competitiveness of Turkish wrestling.
Hüseyin Kaya was appointed vice president, while Hamza Ergut was named deputy president responsible for administrative affairs and Gökhan Akçen took charge of external relations as deputy president.
The new assignments were approved during the board meeting, which brought together senior federation officials overseeing Türkiye’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling programs, as well as organizational, financial and administrative operations.
İbrahim Demirtürkoğlu, deputy president responsible for Greco-Roman wrestling, Abdullah Şanlı, deputy president responsible for organizations, Arslan Narin, deputy president responsible for finance and sponsorships, Murat Şahin, deputy president responsible for freestyle wrestling, and General Secretary Erol Cesur also attended the meeting.
The changes mark an updated distribution of responsibilities within Akgül’s administration, which has focused on strengthening the federation’s organizational structure while developing the next generation of Turkish wrestlers and improving the country’s standing on the international stage.
Akgül stresses team approach
Akgül said the federation’s leadership had taken on a major responsibility and would continue working collectively to move Turkish wrestling forward.
"We are taking on a major responsibility together with our Board of Directors and all our colleagues to advance Turkish wrestling in every field,” Akgül said. "I believe that our colleagues who are starting their new duties will make significant contributions to our work with their knowledge, experience and expertise. Together, we will continue to work with determination for the future of Turkish wrestling.”
Akgül also wished Kaya, Ergut and Akçen success in their new positions and said he hoped the appointments would benefit the wrestling community.
Akgül's presidency
Akgül, one of Türkiye’s most decorated wrestlers, was elected federation president in December 2024 after ending a highly successful competitive career.
He won Olympic gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and added Olympic bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games. He also won three world titles and 11 European championships during his career.
Akgül was elected president at the federation’s sixth Ordinary and Financial General Assembly in Ankara on Dec. 18, 2024, receiving 189 of 288 votes to defeat former European and world champion Selçuk Çebi.
The board elected under Akgül has since undergone changes in its distribution of responsibilities, with the latest appointments establishing a revised structure for several key areas of the federation’s operations.
The Türkiye Güreş Federasyonu, founded in 1923 and affiliated with United World Wrestling, oversees freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling in Türkiye.