Rıza Kayaalp

Rıza Kayaalp

150px
Personal information
Nationality	Turkish
Born	(1989-10-10) October 10, 1989 Yozgat, Turkey
Residence	Aksaray, Turkey
Education	Physical education
Alma mater	Aksaray University
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	120 kg (260 lb)
Sport
Country	Turkey
Sport	Sport wrestling
Event(s)	Greco-Romen
Club	Ankara ASKI Spor Kulübü
Turned pro	2007–present
Coached by	Mehmet Akif Pirim
Achievements and titles
World finals	2011 Istanbul: Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg – Gold 2010 Moscow: Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg – Bronze 2009 Herning: Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg – Bronze
Regional finals	2012 Belgrad: Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg – Gold 2011 Dortmund: Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg – Silver 2010 Baku: Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg – Gold
Olympic finals	2012 Summer Olympics: Men's Greco-Roman 120 kg – Bronze 2015 European Games: Men's Greco-Roman 130 kg – Gold
Medal record Men's Greco-Roman wrestling Representing Turkey Olympic Games 2012 London 120 kg World Championships 2015 Las Vegas 130 kg 2011 Istanbul 120 kg 2014 Tashkent 130 kg 2013 Budapest 120 kg 2010 Moscow 120 kg 2009 Herning 120 kg World Cup 2011 Minsk 120 kg 2010 Yerevan 120 kg European Games 2015 Baku 130 kg European Championships 2016 Riga 130 kg 2014 Vantaa 130 kg 2013 Tbilisi 120 kg 2012 Belgrad 120 kg 2010 Baku 120 kg 2011 Dortmund 120 kg Summer Universiade 2013 Kazan 120 kg Mediterranean Games 2013 Mersin 120 kg 2009 Pescara 120 kg World Junior Championships 2009 Ankara 120 kg 2008 Istanbul 120 kg

Rıza Kayaalp (pronounced [ɾɯˈza kajaˈaɫp]; born 10 October 1989 in Yozgat) is a world and European champion Turkish wrestler competing in the 120 kg division of Greco-Roman wrestling. Currently, he is a student of physical education and sports at the Aksaray University and a figure of controversy and criticism in Turkey due to his overtly racist and nationalist statements and his propaganda for the Justice and Development Party.

He won a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling (men's 120 kg division) at the 2009 Mediterranean Games. He is also a world champion, beating Mijaín López on the finals of the 2011 World Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

Rıza Kayaalp qualified for participation at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where he won bronze medal at Greco-Roman style in 120 kg.

He was the flag bearer of Turkey at the opening ceremony of the 2013 Mediterranean Games held on June 20 in Mersin.

Controversy

Kayaalp was given an immediate suspension of six months by the FILA judge for racist remarks against Armenians and Greeks in August 2013, notably missing the 2013 Wrestling World Championships. He had targeted Greeks and Armenians in his tweets posted about the Gezi Park protests, advocating that “Armenians” were at the root of the Gezi protests in a series of tweets he later deleted after a reaction from the media. His tweets included: “You just leave the streets to Armenians, you f**ing looters” and “F**k you traitors”. FILA President Nenad Lalovic stated that he was shocked by Kayaalp's behavior.

Turkish Wrestling Federation Chairman Hamza Yerlikaya defended Kayaalp and called the ban “unlawful”. Yerlikaya appealed the ban to FILA and vowed to take the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if it was not successful. He claimed the statements were not racist and that Kayaalp was not the one who had written the tweets. However, Kayaalp stated in an interview that he was “misunderstood”, thereby admitting that the tweets were in fact written by him.

FILA later agreed to delay the suspension so that Kayaalp could compete at the 2013 World Wrestling Championships, after which time no major tournaments will take place in six months. Kayaalp went on to win a silver medal at the World Championships.

External links

• Foeldeak: Rıza Kayaalp