Kirkpinar

Kirkpinar is one of the oldest turkish sports in the world. Men put on leather pants get oiled up and wrestle.

Since 1640, every year Turkey's best wrestlers men and boys have grouped together for their national championships on a grassy field near the capitol of the old Ottoman Empire (Edirne). The tournament is called Kirkpinar, or Forty Springs, in honor of a 17th Century wrestling legend.

Wrestlers wearing the traditional tight pants made of calf or goat's leather grease their bodies with olive oil poured in ewers from huge cauldrons.

In oil wrestling, the wrestlers are not categorized by their weight but their knowledge and mastery. The announcer groupes the wrestlers before the match start. In an oil wrestling, the rule such as one should stay on his back on the ground for a period of time does not exist. During the match, some rules to win : 1) The rival is held from his legs, turned upside down and placed flat on his back on the ground. 2) The rival is either rolled on the ground or overthrown while standing. 3) The rival falling on his bottom either by his own mistake or by his rival. He hadn't been flat on his back, but had fallen down backwards or on his side so as his abdomen became obvious. 4) Holding the rival in the arms, raising rival's feet off the ground and take at least three steps. If the wrestler can get off the clothes from his rival, he could be also considered as the winner. Some wrestlers, when they get tired or understand that they'll lose, if they don't want to lie flat on their backs, they can say "I give up" or pats on the rival's clothing to give up the match.