The International Kurash Association (IKA) has decided to increase the number of official weight categories in Senior Kurash from 15 to 16.
Previously, men competed in 7 weight categories and women in 8, but now a new weight category of 120 kg has been added for men.
This change has been made in order to increase the participation of Kurash in prestigious International sports competitions. In particular, during 2024, the optimization of weight categories was discussed several times during the membership process of AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognized Sports Representatives). As a result of the analysis, it was recommended to equalize the weight categories.
At the IKA Directing Committee meeting on April 13, 2024, the issue was reviewed in detail and a final decision was made to add a 120 kg weight category for men.
“We studied all technical and tactical aspects in detail for 8 months. The best decision was not to reduce the weight categories but to add new weight categories to bring Kurash in line with International standards. This creates new opportunities for other Kurash athletes as well” – says IKA General Secretary Mohammad Reza Nassiri.
The Senior weight categories for Kurash are now as follows:
Men: -60 kg, -66 kg, -73 kg, -81 kg, -90 kg, -100 kg, -120 kg, +120 kg.
Women: The previous order is retained.
The new weight category will be implemented in all official competitions organized by the IKA in 2025.
