The Türkiye National Paralympics Committee (TMPK) has announced that Serkan Yıldırım’s gold medal from the Paris 2024 Paralympics has been revoked following a decision by a higher court, prompted by an appeal from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
In a statement titled "Serkan Faces Legal Setback," TMPK detailed the situation:
"The Türkiye National Paralympics Committee took legal action against the IPC, which operates under German law and secured a ruling allowing Serkan Yıldırım to compete in Paris 2024. As a result, he triumphed in the men’s 100 meters. However, IPC appealed to a higher court, which ruled that Yıldırım was ‘ineligible to compete.’ Consequently, he has been removed from the 400 meters event, and his 100 meters medal has been stripped as part of the legal process."
The statement emphasized TMPK’s unwavering support for Yıldırım: "We will continue to stand by our athlete, who has been engaged in legal battles since June. We are committed to ensuring that his on-track victories are not lost in court. We are pursuing all legal avenues to reclaim his 100-meter medal and will fight to uphold his rights."
The TMPK had previously contested the World Para Athletics Federation’s classification review in an attempt to secure Yıldırım’s right to compete in Paris 2024.
The national athlete won gold in the men’s 100-meter T12 class.
