CHP Sports Board protests oil wrestling league system

The Republican People's Party (CHP) Sports Board has issued a formal protest against the implementation of a league and point-collection system in oil wrestling. The board expressed concern that this system, introduced in 2023, undermines the traditional spirit, justice, and cultural essence of the eight-century-old sport.

In a statement regarding the recent CW Energy 7th Stage Oil Wrestling League held in Balıkesir, the board criticized the shift toward an industrial consumption model. They argued that the new regulations have transformed wrestlers into ‘gladiators’ and traditional wrestling grounds into ‘arenas’ or ‘Colosseums,’ stripping the sport of its spiritual depth and the traditional master-apprentice relationship.