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The Turkish word for wrestling can be traced back to the Oghuz Turkic languages, which originate from the Eurasian steppes. After the conquest of Anatolia by Seljuk Turks, a form of traditional freestyle wrestling called Karakucak Güreşi (literally "Ground hug") was popularized, where special leather clothing was worn and wrestlers commenced the competition by pouring olive oil on their bodies.
Oil wrestling scene from Turkey. After 12 years, the annual oil-wrestling competition of Kırkpınar moved to yet another location. Since 1924, bouts are held on the Sarayiçi island near Edirne. The last Ottoman sultan was exiled to Malta. In what remained of the Empire, almost everything traditional was replaced or westernized.
Traditional Oil Wrestling in Turkey is a UNESCCO listed Intangible ... 1954, 1957, 1966 and 1994; and the Men's Greco-Roman championship in 2006 and 2009. ...
Mustafa Dağıstanlı took up wrestling at the age of 18, having been involved in Turkish oil wrestling for many years before that. He developed into one of the best freestyle wrestlers in the world in the 1950s, but also excelled in the Greco-Roman style. In 1952, he narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympic Games in Helsinki.
After Turkish yağlı güreş (oil wrestling) style, which he started with, he switched to Olympic wrestling at the age of 17, after he was discovered by Yaşar Doğu. It did not take long for him to attract the attention of the leading men in the Turkish wrestling federation by performing very well in the national arena.
Ahmet Kireççi (aka Ahmet Mersinli, 27 October 1914 in Mersin – 17 August 1978 in Mersin, Turkey), was a Turkish sports wrestler, who won the Olympic medal twice, the bronze medal in the Middleweight class of Men's Freestyle Wrestling at the 1936 Olympics and the gold medal in the Heavyweight class of Men's Greco-Roman category at the 1948 Olympics.
Mithat Bayrak (3 March 1929 – 20 April 2014) was a Turkish sports wrestler and trainer, who won two consecutive gold medals in the Welterweight class of Men's Greco-Roman Wrestling at the 1956 Olympics and 1960 Olympics.
Haydar Zafer grew up in Bolu and started Turkish oil wrestling there as a teenager. After 1945, he also pursued Olympic wrestling. He preferred the free style, but also wrestled in the Greco-Roman style. In 1949 he joined the Turkish national team, where he was coached by Nuri Boytorun.