The Turkish team featured past Olympic medalists, including hammer thrower Eşref Apak, taekwondo jins Bahri Tanrıkulu and Servet Tazegül, who previously won the bronze in Beijing, and freestyle wrestler and defending champion Ramazan Şahin.

Volleyball player Neslihan Demir Darnel, who led her national team by winning the European qualification tournament, became Turkey's first female flag bearer at the opening ceremony.

Among the nation's medalists were the taekwondo jin Servet Tazegül, who won Turkey's first Olympic gold medal in this discipline.

a On 17 August 2015, the Court of Arbitration for Sport says it approved a settlement agreed to by Turkish athlete Aslı Çakır Alptekin and the IAAF.

Alptekin has agreed to forfeit her 1500 metres Olympic title and serve an eight-year ban for blood doping.