On December 1, 2017 the city of Istanbul, Turkey, hosted the 17th Ordinary Congress of the International Kurash Association. The event was held at the Pullman Convention Center Hotel with the participation of leaders and representatives of national federations of more than 50 countries from Asia, Africa, Europe and Pan America.
The meeting of the Congress chaired by the President of the International Kurash Association (IKA), Mr. Haider Farman, began with a welcoming speech by the Head of the Organizing Committee of the 11th World Kurash Senior Championships, Mr. Osman Develioglu, the mayor of the Bahçelievler municipality of Istanbul, who said that it was an honor for them to host the world Kurash championship and the IKA Congress with the participation of such a large number of countries.
The Congress is the supreme governing body of the International Kurash Association, in which the national member federations of the IKA participate. The Congress meets once a year at the venue of the World Champs.
During this meeting, a number of important issues related to the development of Kurash in the international arena were discussed. In particular, the reports of the presidents of the continental federations of Kurash of Africa, Asia and Oceania, Europe and Pan America, IKA Director for Equality in Sport and IKA Director for Technical matters were heard.
The issues of organization and holding of championships and international tournaments, coaching seminars and training camps for athletes in 2018 in various countries of the world were also discussed.
Members of the Congress also approved applications for membership in the IKA of five newly established national federations of Kurash - France, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
Changes and additions were made to the Statutes of the International Kurash Association, in particular, a new position was introduced in the rank of "IKA Vice-President for International Collaboration and the Games", who will be responsible for building links with international sports and public organizations, such as the IOC, ANOC, the Continental Olympic Committees, the United Nations, UNESCO and others, as well as the inclusion of Kurash in the program of continental and international multi-sports games. This post remains vacant, the appointment should take place after the candidate is selected.
In the first half of December 1, a meeting of the Directing. Committee of the International Kurash Association was held, at which various issues of Kurash development on continents and in the world were discussed.
On December 2, at 10 am local time in Istanbul, the competition of the 11th World Kurash Championships will be launched. Kurashists in the following weight categories will fight for the title of the world champion: men - under 60, 66, 73 kg; women - under 48, 52, 57 and 63 kg.
At 5 pm local time, the official opening ceremony of the World Championships will take place, after which the semifinal, final fights and awarding ceremonies will be held in the above-mentioned weight categories.
On December 3, winners will be determined in remaining 8 weight categories among men and women.
