A post shared on X claims Turkish Olympic shooter Yusuf Dikeç declared, “Sharon, if you’re watching this, I want my dog back” after he won a silver medal. 

This guy is the coolest dude on the planet. pic.twitter.com/84Obl3rgbp

— D-Piddy 🎭 (@_dpiddy) August 1, 2024

Verdict: False

There is no evidence to suggest Dikeç said this. The claim originates from a satirical Facebook page. 

Fact Check: 

Dikec, who has competed at every Summer Olympics since 2008, recently went viral for his relaxed demeanor and minimal gear as he won silver in Olympic shooting, according to AP News. His win gave Turkey its first-ever medal in Olympic shooting, the outlet reported.

An X post showing a picture of Dikeç with his medal claims that he took up shooting after a “particularly heated argument with his ex-wife.” The post then goes on to claim that he made a statement to spite her after winning the silver medal.

“After winning silver, Yusuf stood emotionless on the Olympic podium and declared, ‘Sharon, if you’re watching this, I want my dog back,'” the post reads, in part.

The caption adds, “This guy is the coolest dude on the planet.”

This post is inaccurate, however. There are no credible news reports about this happening. The claim was originally posted by a Facebook account called The Sports Memery. This account’s bio reads, “Satire / Parody & memes. Nothing is real here. Sports are hilarious, come laugh with us.” (RELATED: Did Samsung Pull Sponsorship Of Paris Olympics?)

Furthermore the claim that he “only recently” took up shooting is inaccurate, as Dikeç had prior experience. Now retired, he was a senior master sergeant of the Turkish Gendarmerie and attended military school, according to The Economic Times.