History and Development
Around the time of Uzbekistan’s historic independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, former Uzbek Judo and Sambo champion Komil Yusupov completed his work to enhance and formalize the rules of traditional Kurash in order to project the national sport onto the international stage. Mr Yusupov, Minister for Youth in the government of President Islam Karimov, a highly enthusiastic fan and benefactor of Kurash himself, successfully created a formal set of rules and standards conforming to modern international sporting requirements thus transforming Kurash into an integrated global activity. The International Kurash Association was formed in 1998 and Mr Karimov himself was invited to accept the post of Honorary President in recognition of his generous support. Komil Yusupov was elected to the IKA Presidency. Kurash is now firmly established on every continent with world, continental and international championships held every year.
It was not long before many countries around the world began to take interest in this new and dynamic wrestling style and join the IKA. The British Kurash Association was formed in 1999 by Tim Thomas, who had taken part in the first major international tournament for the President’s Prize in Tashkent in 1998. The BKA organises tournaments and courses around the country as well as sending teams to international events. In 2000 Sam Delahay won the bronze medal at the World Championships in Turkey in the Under 90 kilo class whilst last year Joyce Malley also achieved a World bronze in the Ladies Under 63 kilo category in Hungary. More recent international successes for Great Britain include Jack Webb winning bronze in the 2004 World Junior Championships, and European Championship bronzes too for Paul Sawyer in 2003 and Darrin Richardson in 2004.
The BKA, in association with the IKA, presented the inaugural Islam Karimov Kurash Tournament honouring the President of Uzbekistan in Bedford in 2000 and the event proved to be a huge success. The 2001 tournament at Dartford was equally as successful and received recognition from the IKA as the best overseas tournament of the year. It is anticipated that this year’s tournament at Sittingbourne, a town traditionally associated with high level combat sportsmen, will surpass previous years in terms of both quality and quantity of competitor as interest in Kurash in Great Britain continues to increase.
If there is absolute equality at the end then the winner is deemed to be the wrestler who benefited from the last score.
Where there has been no score at all or penalties were awarded simultaneously then the result is determined by the opinion of referee and judges as to whom they consider to have been the most positive wrestler during the contest.
FURTHER REFEREEING TERMINOLOGY