Akbalik collapsed on the mat after suffering a cardiac arrest during his third round fight against a Slovenian opponent, later dying at the Luxor International hospital.

The tournament marked the return to competition for the 21-year-old after being sidelined due to a detected heart problem.

Yağız claimed the incident could even be considered murder due to gross negligence on part of the authorities.

"As far as I can see, this case is trying to be closed," he said.

"It's being made to sound as if the family is at fault, as if they closed their eyes to their boy in order to get a medal.

"Everyone is passing the blame; the federation, the athlete's club, the general directorate of sports, the health department and the trainer of the national team are all saying, 'If we had known we would not have given him permission [to compete]'.

"They are obligated to know [the health status of their athletes]."

Akbalik is said to have competed after being given permission to by his family doctor.

But Yağız claimed it should have taken a more specialised doctor to determine whether an athlete should compete at such a high level, questioning the TTF's health committee for allowing him to travel to Egypt.

"Did this health committee perform its duties?" the former TTF chairman asked.

"If it had done its job, then it would have known that our athlete had a health problem.

"We hear that health checks are being done.

"We hear that athletes are being screened in [training] camp.

"We want follow up on whether past athletes such as Seyithan have been checked."

He added: "This is murder.

"It is negligence.

"The federation failed to do their job and perform their duties according to the regulations."

Seyithan Akbalık died during the inaugural Luxor Open in Egypt after collapsing on the mat during his third round encounter in the under 63kg category ©Luxor Open



Akbalık was in the third round of preliminaries in the under 63 kilogram weight category at the Luxor Open when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest.

He was treated immediately and taken to hospital.

According to his coach, Akbalık had last competed in May after taking time off due to a heart rhythm disorder and palpitations.

The family doctor had allegedly told him the condition was not an obstacle to his taekwondo, eventually giving him permission to compete.

He was prescribed medicine for his condition, but his family has reported he frequently forgot to take it.

They also noted they do not know if he took it on the day of the match after worries it could fall into the category of a banned substance.

The young Turk was buried the day after his death in his hometown of İzmir and remembered by taekwondo athletes around the world.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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