10.05.2026 16:05
After Marmaris Municipality's decision to close its 21-year-old swimming pool, approximately 300 athletes were affected. While footage of athletes training in the empty pool as a protest became a topic of discussion, it was revealed that some children, forced to travel to pools in other districts, were transported in car trunks. National athletes stated they experienced performance loss, while parents said their children were both psychologically affected and fell behind in their studies.
The Marmaris Municipality's decision to close the district's 21-year-old semi-Olympic swimming pool, citing "high maintenance costs" and "health risks," continues to draw significant backlash from the sports community. With approximately 300 licensed athletes left without a facility, newly emerging images have revealed the extent of the hardship being endured.
AFTER THE EMPTY POOL, NOW TRUNK IMAGES
Following the closure decision, athletes had previously made headlines by training in the empty pool as a form of protest. In the new images, some athletes are seen being transported to pools in Muğla city center and Ortaca for training, with children riding in the trunk when there was no space left in the vehicles.
According to a report by Akşam newspaper, among the athletes transported in the trunk were Turkey Champion Yağmur Çelik and Alara Ada Arı, who was recently selected for the national team and is preparing to represent Turkey in Bulgaria in July.
"SHE DOES HER HOMEWORK IN THE CAR"
Parents stated that the children are both physically and psychologically worn out. Hüseyin Ertegün said, "My daughter does her homework in the car and eats her meals on the road," while Ali Özkaynak added, "We want our children to stay away from bad habits and become beneficial individuals to the nation." Parents noted that due to constant travel, the children are falling behind in their lessons and experiencing excessive fatigue.
"WE CAN'T COMPETE ON EQUAL TERMS"
Alara Ada Arı, who will compete in the national jersey in Bulgaria in July, expressed her reaction, saying, "We are not competing on equal terms with other athletes. We want a pool where we can train in Marmaris."
Yağmur Çelik, the 50-meter breaststroke Turkey Champion, described experiencing a performance decline after the pool closed, stating, "We spend 2 hours on the road and 2 hours in training. My fatigue has increased. If our pool reopens, our chances of success will improve."
Kürşat Barbaros, who said he missed national team selections by fractions of a second, remarked, "If the pool hadn't closed, maybe I would be experiencing the joy of being both a champion and a national athlete right now."
MINISTRY STEPS IN
It has been learned that the Ministry of Youth and Sports has taken action for the athletes following the images that made headlines. The Ministry announced that athletes will be transported free of charge to the nearest pools using Muğla Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports vehicles, and a portable pool will be set up in the region. While parents and athletes thanked the ministry for its support, they also called on the Marmaris Municipality to "reopen our pool."