The year 2024, which is coming to an end, has been very challenging for us. Despite the crisis in Europe related to the war in Ukraine, we managed to hold the continental championship and other events at a fairly high level thanks to the financial support from IKA.
224 Kurash athletes (100 women and 124 men) participated in the European Championship held in Edirne, Turkey.
As in previous competitions, the following countries actively participated: Moldova, Turkiye, Greece, Romania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Ukraine, Cyprus, Serbia, Poland, Georgia, Armenia.
It is worth noting that finally, after the change of leadership in the Armenian Kurash Federation, a team of 6 athletes arrived at the European Championship.
At this point, as it is necessary to emphasize the high organization of the European Championship, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Turkish Kurash Federation!!
Members of the Executive Committee of the European Kurash Confederation and I personally organized a meeting with the President of the Georgian Olympic Committee, 5-time world champion and Olympic champion Leri Khabelov. At the meeting the matters related to holding the European Championship in Tbilisi was discussed.
We also agreed on the provision of material and technical assistance to the Georgian Olympic Committee, as well as, the Georgian Kurash Federation.
In addition, the President of the Bulgarian Kurash Federation, Mr. Dimitri Dimitrov, held meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Sports of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government positively accepted many of our proposals for the development of Kurash and hosting international competitions in the future.
Also, several meetings were organized during the year with the President of the Olympic Committee of North Macedonia, Mr. Daniel Dinovski.
It is significant to further popularize Kurash in countries through the National Olympic Committees. This issue is in the constant focus of the European Kurash Confederation’s leadership.
Our work will continue in 2025. In January-February 2025, meetings are planned in Armenia and Azerbaijan with the National Olympic Committees and Ministries of Sports to activate the Kurash Federation in these countries.
