Ministry of Youth and Sports (Turkey)


The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Turkish Republic is a governmental agency within the Cabinet of Turkey in charge of regulating activities related to sports and youth development in Turkish Republic. The ministry is headed by Mehmet Kasapoğlu. Deputy ministers are Hamza Yerlikaya and Sinan Aksu.

History

On June 29, 1938, the Directoriate of Physical Education was established. Following the 1969 general election, in the Cabinet Süleyman Demirel II, the Ministry of Youth and Sports was formed on November 3 for the first time, and İsmet Sezgin was appointed as its first minister. After the 1983 general election, the ministry was renamed National Education, Youth and Sports on December 14.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports was re-established as an independent ministry on June 29, 2011 after the forming of Cabinet Erdoğan III. In the past, the governmental activities on youth and sports affairs were carried out by different governmental agencies subordinated to a state minister, who had also other responsibilities. Those organizations were brought together under the umbrella of the newly established ministry while the status of the provincial organizations were redefined in accordance with the alignment of the acquis for Accession of Turkey to the European Union.
On 2017, the Ministry has used a picture of United States gold medalist swimmer Dana Vollmer in one of its posters but digitally changed the U.S. flag on her cap with a Turkish one. The poster also had “Powerful Turkey” written above the swimmer’s image. Ministry's choice was criticized.