How does kurash work?
B · Beginner · The bout · 1 of 3Kurash is a standing wrestling sport from Central Asia. Two athletes in jackets and belts grip each other and try to throw the opponent to the mat. A clean throw onto the back, called khalol, wins the bout at once. There is no fighting on the ground: the referee stops the bout after every scored throw.
How it works
- Standing only: the contest is to throw the opponent from a standing grip.
- Three scores: khalol, yonbosh and chala, by how the opponent lands.
- Khalol: a throw onto the back. It ends the bout.
- Stopped after each score: the referee calls a halt, gives the score and restarts the bout standing.
- No holds on the ground: strangles and arm locks are forbidden actions.
- Three penalties: tanbekh, dakki and girrom. Each gives the opponent a score.
- Timed bouts: four minutes of fighting time for senior men and three for senior women.
- Courtesy: the athletes bow to each other before and after.
The glossary has kurash, no ground fighting, the khalol, the yakhtak, the gilam and the bout.
Tricky cases
After a throw, can the thrower follow the opponent down and hold them?
No. The referee stops the bout after every scored throw, and the bout restarts standing.
Is kurash the same as judo?
No. Both use a jacket and score throws, but kurash has no ground work, no strangles and no arm locks. The scores, the commands and the penalties have Uzbek names of their own.
Does a bout always run the full time?
No. A khalol ends it at once, whether it comes from a throw, from two yonbosh scores or from the opponent's disqualification.
Can an athlete win without throwing anyone?
Yes. Each penalty gives the other athlete a score, so a bout can be won on the opponent's penalties.
Why the rule exists
Kurash keeps the contest to one question: who can throw whom. Stopping after every throw means a bout is a series of standing exchanges, with no pinning or submission to finish it. That makes it easy to follow and keeps the risk of joint and neck injuries low.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kurash | Throws only; bout stopped after each score | IKA Rules 7.5; 28 |
| Strangles and arm locks | Penalised | IKA Rules 30.1 |
| Judo | Ground holds, strangles and arm locks are part of the sport | C |
| Beach kurash | Its own rules | Not saved |
From the rule book
International Kurash Association, International rules of organization and holding of Kurash competitions (web page, adopted 1998, categories for 2026), sections 7, 24, 26, 27, 28 and 30. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's competition rules (saved as a web page only).