Wrestlers get into dispute over flags at medal ceremony

ANTALYA

A strange incident occurred at a medal ceremony in the southern province of Antalya when a Turkish and two Kazakh arm wrestlers tried to display their flags while standing at the podium and posing to the international media, in a somewhat battle of whose flag goes in the front.

Turkish athlete Derya Ceren Çağlayan won the Under 21 category in the World Women’s Arm Wrestling Championship on Oct. 19.

Two Kazakh athletes, who earned second and third positions, unfurled a giant Kazakh flag after getting on the podium to pose for the media.

Later, Çağlayan came to the podium, unfurled the Turkish flag, and posed after displaying her country’s flag in front of the Kazakh flag.

Kazakh athletes tried to put their flag in the front, but Çağlayan did not permit them to do so. After two attempts, the two Kazakh arm wrestlers posed holding their flag from behind the Turkish flag, solving the “flag dispute.”

“I had no malicious intent,” the Turkish arm wrestler said after the ceremony.