Ankara: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday received Türkiye's men's and women's national teams at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, after both won silver medals at major international tournaments.
According to TRTworld.com, on Sunday, the Turkish men's national basketball team, also known as the 12 Giant Men (12 Dev Adam in Turkish), finished runners-up at EuroBasket 2025 in Riga in a thrilling contest against Germany in the final. This marked their first European final in 24 years and only their second-ever silver medal.
President Erdogan expressed his congratulations to the athletes, acknowledging their extraordinary efforts. He mentioned on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal that while there is some disappointment in not securing the trophy, the team has gained significant momentum in basketball.
The growth in Türkiye's sports scene is evident, with the number of athletes increasing from just over a quarter of a million in 2002 to millions today, accompanied by rising medal tallies. Two decades of investment have fostered champions and reshaped the nation's perspective on sports.