Turkish wrestling legend Rıza Kayaalp has marked a triumphant return to competition by winning gold at the Zagreb Open Wrestling Tournament, 610 days after stepping onto the mat for his first official bout following a lengthy suspension.
Competing in the Greco-Roman 130 kilogram category in the Croatian capital, the 36-year-old dominated the field to claim the title.
A three-time Olympic medalist and one of the most decorated wrestlers in history, with five world and 12 European titles, Kayaalp showed little sign of ring rust. He defeated American Aden Ikaika Hammar Attao in the early rounds, overwhelmed Georgia’s Rati Talikishvili 9-0 by technical superiority in the quarterfinals and advanced past Kazakhstan’s Olzhas Syrlybay 4-0 in the semifinals.
In the gold-medal bout, he beat American Cohlton Michael Schultz 7-1, conceding just one point across four matches.
Kayaalp’s return follows a high-profile legal battle. He was handed a four-year ban effective July 1, 2024, after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
The wrestler argued that the result stemmed from his use of the medication “Vastarel” to treat tinnitus and appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
CAS partially upheld the appeal, reducing the sanction to 18 months and clearing his return to competition as of Jan. 1.
The Zagreb Open was his first official appearance since June 2024, when he last competed in Hungary.
Kayaalp currently shares the record for most European titles with Russian great Aleksandr Karelin and could become the sole holder if he wins gold at the 2026 European Wrestling Championships in April.
Türkiye finished the Zagreb Open with three gold, one silver and one bronze medal. Alongside Kayaalp, Yüksel Sarıçiçek and Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu won gold, Nesrin Baş took silver and Ömer Halis Recep earned bronze.
