Fair Play and Ethical Values Think Tank Convenes at the Turkish National Olympic Committee Olympic House
Under the leadership of the Fair Play Commission, the “Fair Play and Ethical Values Think Tank” was held on 30 December 2025 at the Turkish National Olympic Committee building, with the aim of strengthening the culture of fair play in school sports and promoting ethical values within educational environments.
Organized at the Turkish National Olympic Committee Olympic House within the scope of the Sports City Istanbul Project, the program was attended by Deputy Governor of Istanbul Mustafa Asım Alkan, Provincial Director of National Education Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Mücahit Yentür, Chairman of the Turkish National Olympic Committee Fair Play Commission Haldun Domaç, and Secretary General of the Turkish National Olympic Committee Neşe Gündoğan.
Domaç: “Fair play is a holistic system of values”
In his opening speech at the Fair Play and Ethical Values Think Tank, Haldun Domaç, Chairman of the Turkish National Olympic Committee Fair Play Commission, emphasized that the concept of fair play is not limited solely to the rules of competition, but rather represents a comprehensive system of values that influences social life as a whole. He stated that students’ internalization of this approach from an early age is crucial for establishing a sustainable and respectable sporting culture.
Yentür: “What we aim to instill is not merely the desire to win, but the will to act rightly”
Speaking at the forum, Provincial Director of National Education Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Mücahit Yentür highlighted that school sports play a significant role not only in students’ physical development but also in character building, underlining the importance of transforming fair play culture into actual behavior within the education system.
Yentür stated:
“What we seek to instill is not merely the desire to win, but the will to behave ethically. Sport is a school where discipline, effort, patience, and team spirit are taught. Fair play is the moral foundation of this school. The respect our students display on the field reflects the school climate, and the values formed within the school climate carry over into life itself. Therefore, the guidance of our physical education teachers and administrators is decisive in transforming ethical values into behavior. In Istanbul, we will continue to strengthen, together with our stakeholders, our approach that prioritizes enabling every student to experience sport together with values.”
Yentür also noted that collaborations with the Turkish National Olympic Committee and the academic community would contribute to the development of a common language and shared approach in school sports.
Deputy Governor Alkan: Reaching young people’s lives through fair play and ethical values is essential
In his speech at the Think Tank, Deputy Governor of Istanbul Mustafa Asım Alkan thanked the management of the Turkish National Olympic Committee (TMOK) and the Fair Play Commission for organizing this event within the scope of the Sports City Istanbul Project. He stated:
“We are pleased to participate in all projects that touch the lives of our young people and help them become valuable contributors to society in the future. The outcomes of such meetings will undoubtedly provide meaningful guidance for our physical education teachers, who play a key role in shaping younger generations.”
Following the speeches, Deputy Governor Mustafa Asım Alkan was presented with a plaque of appreciation by TMOK Secretary General Neşe Gündoğan, while Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Mücahit Yentür received a plaque from Fair Play Commission Chairman Haldun Domaç.
The Think Tank was conducted across five different discussion tables, each focusing on a distinct topic. Participants included Selçuk Bora Çavuşoğlu, Vice Chairman of the Fair Play Commission and Board Member of the European Fair Play Movement; commission members Prof. Dr. Kürşad Han Dönmez, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülçin Güven, Dr. Cemal Güler, Başak Sönmez (Member of the Scientific Committee of the European Fair Play Movement), and Lecturer Tekmil Sezen Soyal, as well as district directors of national education, sports high school principals, and physical education teachers.
The program addressed the complementary role of school sports in education, the dissemination of an ethics-based sports culture, and the transformation of fair play behavior into a lasting attitude among students. Evaluations emphasized the importance of instilling values such as respect, honesty, responsibility, self-control, and fairness in students through the educational opportunities provided by sport.
At the conclusion of the Think Tank, TMOK President Ahmet Gülüm expressed his gratitude to the esteemed academics, physical education teachers, and one of the forum’s key stakeholders, the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, along with its valued staff members Cahit Özkan and Ayşe Nur Çalıkçı, for their contributions to this initiative, which is expected to represent a significant achievement for the country. The forum concluded after collecting participants’ opinions and recommendations.
06.01.2026
