Taha Akgül Makes Self-Criticism After World Championship

The national wrestling team finished the World Championship with 1 silver medal. In a written statement after the tournament, Taha Akgül said the team fell well short of its target and that he had gone through the hardest days of his life during this event.

Akgül reminded that the national teams have been provided with the best training environment possible through the state's resources. He stressed that claiming success is easy, while taking responsibility for failure is what truly matters. He also openly stated that some athletes fell far below their potential.

According to Akgül, the current situation cannot be judged by the results of this tournament alone. He said the root causes lie in the failure to bring enough athletes from the youth system up to senior national team level, the inability to build a pool that can replace champions, and the lack of long-term planning.

Noting that names such as Rıza Kayaalp, Taha Akgül and Yasemin Adar have carried the medal burden recently, Akgül said that over the past roughly 1 year and 10 months, they had worked to strengthen clubs, expand facilities and create sponsorship resources. He also said that intensive investment has been made in the youth system to prepare squads for the 2032 and 2036 Olympics.

Akgül noted that problems accumulated over many years cannot be solved in a few months, and said he expects athletes to fight until the last second. While stating that Yüksel Sarıçiçek, who won the silver medal, is an example with his fighting spirit, he added that they may part ways with those who do not embrace this mindset.