United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

Türkiye’s oil wrestlers compete for gold and glory

Their torsos slick with oil and sweat, the fighters grapple and tussle for gold and glory, competing in a venerable Turkish sport dating back to the time of the Ottomans.

Every July, scores of wrestlers flock to the Kırkpınar tournament in the northwest of the country, a national and international attraction that gained UNESCO cultural recognition in 2010.

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