List of naturalized sportspeople of Turkey national teams

This List of naturalized sportspeople of Turkey national teams contains foreign sportspeople, who were admitted to Turkey national teams following their naturalization as citizen of Turkey, and competed at international official competitions for Turkey.

Regulations

There are rules and regulations that must be followed regarding the recruitment of athletes or the athletes who will represent the countries in competitions. Although the laws governing acquiring citizenship in another country vary from country to country, the regulations that must be followed in competitions organized worldwide are the same for every country.[1]

Regarding the nationality of th[1]e competitors, following four main provisions are stated in Rule 41 published by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the Olympic Charter:[1]

1- An athlete holding citizenship in two or more countries may only choose one country and compete for that country. However, if the athlete acquires or changes citizenship after representing a country at an Olympic, continental, or regional championship or game, they may not represent another country unless they meet the requirements in Article 2.

2- When an athlete representing a country acquires citizenship in the Olympics, continental and regional championships, or games recognized by international federations, a minimum of three years must pass from the Games or Championships in which they represented their previous country before they can represent their country at the Olympic Games. However, this period may be reduced or canceled for individuals on a case-by-case basis by decision of the IOC Executive Board, with the approval of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or International Federations (IFs).

3- If a state, province, overseas territory, country, or colony declares independence, joins or merges with another country, or if that country's new National Olympic Committee is recognized by the IOC, an athlete may represent their country. However, if the athlete chooses to represent a new National Olympic Committee, they may choose to do so only once.

4- Beyond this, whether an athlete qualified to play in the Olympic Games represents a country other than their own or chooses to represent another country, the IOC has the authority to make all kinds of decisions on matters such as nationality, citizenship, and residence, either generally or individually.

According to the nternational Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) 2016-2017 International Competition Rules (Rule 5):[1]

a) An athlete who has never participated in an international competition and acquires another country's citizenship cannot compete in international competitions on behalf of another country for one year. However, this one-year period may be cancelled or reduced.

b) An athlete who has previously participated in competitions and acquires another country's citizenship must pass a minimum of three years before they can represent their country. However, this three-year period may be cancelled or reduced (according to the decision of the IAAF Committee). The rules for dual citizenship are identical to those of the IOC.

In team sports like football and basketball, the rules for competing for another country are even stricter. According to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), if an athete has competed for one country in an official elite-level match, they are not permitted to compete for another country (FIBA, 2017; FIFA, 2015). This rule is also called "play-stay" in English.[1]

While Turkey follows the aforementioned ules for recruiting athletes in international organizations, it also applies its own country's rules regarding acquiring Turkish citizenship to these athletes. The rules regarding acquiring Turkish citizenship are determined in accordance with the regulation "Regarding the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law" issued by a cree dated 6 April 2010.[1]

Reasons

Recruited athletes are generally selected from athletes who have previously achieved success in sports or have a high potential for success. Reasons for acquiring citizenship include family reasons (marriage, having a parent who is a citizen of another country), economic difficulties in their home country, seeking financial income, obtaining a better education, improving training opportunities, or because their home country has a high number of successful athletes and is unable to compete in the Olympic Games.[1]

Archery

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Derya Bard Sarıaltın UKR Svana Bard (1977-05-14) 14 May 1977 2005–2006 [1]
F Natalia Nasaridze GEO Natalia Nasaridze (1972-10-02) 2 October 1972 1996– [2]

Athletics

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Elvan Abeylegesse ETH Hewan Abeye (1982-09-11) 11 September 1982 1999–2013 [3]
F Meryem Akda KEN Mirriam Jepchirchir Maiyo (1992-08-05) 5 August 1992 2017 [4]
F Oksana Andrusina-Mert RUS Oksana Andrusina (1973-03-26) 26 March 1973 1999–2013 [5]
F Anzhela Kinet BLR Anzhela Atroshchenko (1970-11-14) 14 November 1970 2001–2005

[6]

M Emre Zafer Barnes JAM Winston Barnes (1988-11-07) 7 November 1988 2004–2021 [7]
F Alemitu Bekele Degfa ETH Alemitu Bekele Degfa (1977-09-17) 17 September 1977 2009 [8]
F Yasemin Can KEN Vivian Jemutai (1996-12-11) 11 December 1996 2016–2024 [9]
F Yasmani Copello CUB Yasmani Copello Escobar (1987-04-15) 15 April 1987 2014–2018 [10]
F Mirela Dulgheru-Renda ROU Mirela Dulgheru (1966-10-05) 5 October 1966 2000 [11]
F Meryem Erdoğan ETH Mariam Hana Dingo (1990-04-24) 24 April 1990 2009–2010 [12]
M Mert Girmalegesse ETH Shimelis Girma (1987-11-30) 30 November 1987 2008–2009 [13]
M Ali Ferit Gören AUT König 2 October 1913–1987 1938–1939
M Jak Ali Harvey JAM Jacques Montgomery Harvey (1989-05-04) 4 May 1989 2016–2022 [14]
F Sultan Haydar ETH Chaltu Girma Meshesha (1987-05-23) 23 May 1987 2009 [15]
F Nora Ivanova-Güner BUL Nora Ivanova (1977-06-01) 1 June 1977 2001 [16]
F Ebru Kavaklıoğlu RUS Yelena Kopytova (1970-03-14) 14 March 1970 1999–2001 [17]
M Ali Kaya KEN Stanley Kiprotich Mukche (1994-04-20) 20 April 1994 2013–2017 [18]
M Aras Kaya KEN Amos Kibitok (1994-04-04) 4 April 1994 2016–2022 [19]
M Polat Kemboi Arıkan KEN Paul Kipkosgei Kemboi (1990-12-12) 12 December 1990 2012–2016 [20]
M Mohammad Khalvandi IRI Mohammad Khalvandi (1990-01-11) 11 January 1990 2021–20124 [21]
M Kaan Kigen Özbilen KEN Mike Kigen (1986-01-15) 15 January 1986 2015 [22]
M Tarık Langat Akdağ KEN Patrick Kipkirui Langat (1988-06-18) 18 June 1988 2012–2018 [23]
F Karin Melis Mey RSA Karin Mey (1983-05-31) 31 May 1983 2009–2012 [24]
F Svetla Mitkova-Sınırtaş BUL Svetla Ivanova Mitkova (1964-06-17) 17 June 1964 1999 [25]
M Şeref Osmanoğlu UKR Sheryf El-Sheryf (1989-01-02) 2 January 1989 2016 [26]
F Tatyana Polnova RUS Tatyana Zaykova (1979-04-20) 20 April 1979 1998 [27]
F Sviatlana Sudak BLR Sviatlana Sudak (1971-03-20) 20 March 1971 2007
M Hillary Yego KEN Hillary Kipsang Yego (1992-04-02) 2 April 1992 2020

Badminton

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Aprilsasi Putri Lejarsar Variella INA Aprilsasi Putri Lejarsar Variella (1990-04-06) 6 April 1990

Basketball

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Tarik Biberović BIH Tarik Biberović (2001-01-28) 28 January 2001 2024- [28]
M Adem Bona NGA Ikechukwu Stanley Okoro (2003-03-28) 28 March 2003 2025- [29]
M Ali Muhammed USA Bobby Dixon (1983-04-10) 10 April 1983 2015–2018 [30]
F Korel Engin USA Cori Enghusen (1980-04-08) 8 April 1980 2005–2007
F Kuanitra Holingsvorth USA Quanitra Hollingsworth (1988-11-15) 15 November 1988 2012–2023 [31]
M Shane Larkin USA Shane Larkin (1992-10-02) 2 October 1992 2020-2022 [32]
M Melih Mahmutoğlu SRB Melih Brničanin (1990-05-12) 12 May 1990 2006- [33]
F Teaira McCowan USA Teaira McCowan (1996-09-28) 28 September 1996 2022- [34]
F Nevin Newlin USA Kristen Newlin (1985-05-08) 8 May 1985 2009–2011 [35]
M Emir Preldžić BIH Emir Preldžić (1987-09-06) 6 September 1987 2011–2014 [36]
F LaToya Sanders USA LaToya Sanders (1986-09-11) 11 September 1986 2014–2017 [37]
F Kiah Stokes USA Kiah Stokes (1993-03-30) 30 March 1993 2019-2021 [38]
M Scottie Wilbekin USA Scottie Wilbekin (1993-04-05) 5 April 1993 2018–2023 [39]
F Nevriye Yılmaz BUL Nevriye Yılmaz (1980-06-16) 16 June 1980 2005–2016 [40]

Cycling

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Mehmet Şampiyonbisiklet FRA Gabriel Muller (1985-04-12) 12 April 1985 2023-

Football

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Mehmet Aurélio BRA Marco Aurélio Brito dos Prazeres (1977-12-15) 15 December 1977 2006–2011 [41]
M Emre Mor DEN Emre Mor (1997-07-24) 24 July 1997 2016–2017 [42]

Gymnastics

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Adem Asil EGY Abdelrahman Elgamal (1988-07-04) 4 July 1988 2020- [43]

Handball

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Olha Vashchuk UKR Olha Vashchuk (1987-08-13) 13 August 1987 2014-

Ice hockey

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Feyzi Ahsen-Böre RUS Feyzi Ahsen-Böre 25 August 1917–1975 1940s

Ice skating

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Alisa Besseghier UKR Alisa Alexandrovna Agafonova (1991-01-15) 15 January 1991 2010-2016
F Katarina DelCamp USA Katarina DelCamp (2004-06-20) 20 June 2004 2024-

Judo

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Kayra Özdemir FRA Ketty Mathé (1988-02-13) 13 February 1988 2016- [44]
M Mikail Özerler SLO Mihael Žgank (1994-02-01) 1 February 1994 2019-2024 [45]
M Bekir Özlü GEO Betkil Shukvani (1988-08-30) 30 August 1988 2016-2018 [46]

Kayaking

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Lasma Liepa LAT Lasma Liepa (1988-07-04) 4 July 1988 2016- [47]
F Tamara Takács HUN Tamara Takács 1997 (age 27–28) 2024- [48]

Kickboxing

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Zamig Athakishiyev AZE Zamig Athakishiyev (1986-06-28) 28 June 1986

Swimming

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Demir Atasoy UKR Dmitry Cherkasov (1987-05-26) 26 May 1987 2013-2017 [49]
F Ekaterina Avramova BUL Ekaterina Avramova (1991-11-12) 12 November 1991 2017-
F Viktoria Zeynep Güneş UKR Viktoria Solntseva (1998-06-19) 19 June 1998 2013-2022 [50]
F Yasemin Rosenberger GER Jasmin Rosenberger (1985-10-16) 16 October 1985 2009-2012

Table tennis

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Melek Hu CHN Hou Meiling (1989-01-27) 27 January 1989 2009-2016 [51]
M Ahmet Li CHN Lǐ Liángfū (1991-01-12) 12 January 1991 2013 [52]
M Cem Zeng CHN Zheng Changgong (1985-10-21) 21 October 1985 2008 [53]

Triathlon

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Sinem Francisca Tous Servera ESP Xisca Tous Servera (1992-06-30) 30 June 1992 2025- [54]

Volleyball

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
F Meliha İsmailoğlu BIH Meliha Smajlović (1993-09-17) 17 September 1993 2017- [55]
F Aleksia Karutasu ROU Alexia Căruțașu (2003-06-10) 10 June 2003 2025- [56]
F Sinead Jack Kısal TRI Sinead Jack (1993-11-08) 8 November 1993 2025- [57]
M Mirza Lagumdžija BIH Mirza Lagumdžija (2001-05-18) 18 May 2001 2021- [58]
M Adis Lagumdžija BIH Adis Lagumdžija (1999-03-29) 29 March 1999 2018- [59]
M Mert Matić BIH Mert Matić (1995-05-22) 22 May 1995 2023- [60]
F Melissa Vargas CUB Meliissa Vargas (1999-10-18) 18 October 1999 2023- [61]

Weightlifting

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Halil Mutlu BUL Halil Aliev (1973-07-14) 14 July 1973 1991-2005
M Hafız Süleymanoğlu BUL Hafız Süleymanov (1967-01-23) 23 January 1967 1991-1997
M Naim Süleymanoğlu BUL Naum Shalamanov 3 January 1967–18 November 2017 1988-1996

Wrestling

G Name Country of
Origin		 Birth name Birth date
and Age		 Period Ref.
M Ramazan Şahin RUS Ramzan Irbaikhanov (1983-07-08) 8 July 1983 2007-2008 [62]
M Selim Yaşar RUS Koloi Mikailovich Kartoev (1990-02-20) 20 February 1990 2014-2021 [63]
F Elif Jale Yeşilırmak RUS Yulia Guramievna Rekvava (1986-07-30) 30 July 1986 2012-2020 [64]

Reeferences

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Hürmeriç Altundöz, Irmak; Settar Koçak (4 September 2017). "Olimpiyat Oyunları'nda Sporcu Devşirilmesi - Transfer of Allegiance in the Olympic Games". Dergi Park (in Turkish). Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bölümü. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.