Special Recognition to Mr. Remzi Yılmaz
Remzi Yılmaz, President of the Fair Play Commission of the Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC), was honoured with the Jean Borotra Fair Play Honorary Diploma in recognition of his longstanding contributions to the Fair Play movement. At the same ceremony, Ufuk Timer, a member of the TOC Fair Play Commission, received the Willi Daume World Fair Play Trophy.
Yilmaz receives his third international award
Remzi Yılmaz has been actively involved in the Turkish Fair Play Commission for approximately 30 years and assumed its presidency in April 2026. Having previously served for many years as Vice-President of the Commission, he also spent four years as a member of the Board of Auditors of the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM). Alongside his Fair Play activities, Yılmaz has held managerial positions in Turkish sports journalism, including newspapers and television, for 43 years, spending a significant part of his career as Managing Editor of the Turkish Sports Agency. The Jean Borotra Honorary Diploma presented in Lausanne marked his third international Fair Play award. He had previously received the EFPM-AIPS Vox Award and, in 2022, the CIFP Honorary Diploma in the Fair Play Promotion category, jointly with his son, Armağan Berkay Yılmaz.
Contributing to Fair Play trough education and publications
Yılmaz has played an active role in promoting Fair Play values throughout Türkiye. As part of the Turkish Fair Play Caravan initiative, he contributed to and coordinated activities held at 69 universities, helping to bring Fair Play principles to students through panel discussions, exhibitions and educational programmes. He has also been involved in the preparation of publications dedicated to Fair Play. He compiled the book Fair Play in Sports and Life(Sporda ve Yaşamda Fair Play), covering the history of Fair Play in Türkiye, Europe and around the world, as well as award recipients and examples of exemplary conduct. Published with sponsorship support, the book was donated to the Turkish Fair Play Commission for free distribution to university students.
A meaningful tribute at the CIFP council meeting
Following the award ceremony in Lausanne, Yılmaz attended the CIFP Council Meeting on 12 October at the invitation of CIFP President Sunil Sabharwal. In his remarks, he emphasised the important role played by Erdoğan Arıpınar, CIFP Vice-President and Honorary President of the Turkish Fair Play Commission, in shaping his experience and commitment to Fair Play. Yılmaz paid tribute to Arıpınar, who was unable to attend the meeting due to health reasons, acknowledging his longstanding leadership of the Turkish Fair Play movement and expressing his gratitude for everything he had learned from him. He also thanked the CIFP leadership for the invitation and the recognition.
Sharing the joy of their awards with Erdogan Aripinar
After returning to Istanbul from Lausanne, Remzi Yılmaz and Ufuk Timer visited Erdoğan Arıpınar at his home, bringing their awards with them to share the joy of the occasion. The visit was a meaningful tribute to Arıpınar, a leading figure in the Turkish Fair Play movement, who continues to serve as CIFP Vice-President and Honorary President of the Turkish Fair Play Commission.
