The Türkiye National Olympic Committee elected Veli Ozan Çakır as its new president in Istanbul.

TMOK opened a new institutional phase following the election of Çakır as chief, at an extraordinary assembly held at the Olimpiyatevi in Istanbul. The official succeeds Ahmet Gülüm, elected in 2025, after securing 134 of the 156 votes cast in a process with strong internal backing.

The session was opened by Secretary General Neşe Gündoğan, before the formation of the assembly’s governing body. In this context, the election reflected not only a leadership change, but also an intention to align with the evolving international Olympic movement.

In his speech prior to the vote, Çakır set the tone for his future administration, “This meeting is not simply an electoral process, but a clear demonstration of our determination to adapt to a world of sport that is rapidly evolving,” he said. From that premise, he outlined priorities centred on strengthening the athlete-focused approach, protecting ethical values, developing institutional capacity and ensuring a more active international representation.”

Mr. Çakır was clear in outlining one of the major future objectives, “we will work together with all stakeholders to bring the 2036 Olympic Games to our country”.