BELT WRESTLING
One of the world’s oldest recorded combat sports — grip the belt, break the balance, take the fall. Here’s how it works, who governs it globally, and where BWWA fits in.
Every akhada we bring under one federation is a promise kept — that where a wrestler is born no longer decides how far they can go.
Introduction
No punches, no ground fighting — everything in belt wrestling happens standing, decided by grip, leverage, and timing. Competitors hold their opponent’s belt from the opening whistle, and the bout is won or scored through throws that take the opponent off their feet.
Dozens of regional styles fall under the belt-wrestling umbrella — Alysh in Kyrgyzstan, Belbogli Kurash in Uzbekistan, Turkmen Göreş, Tatar Köräş, and Gushtini Kamarbandi in Tajikistan among them. BWWA’s Belt Wrestling program in India draws on this shared belt-grip tradition and trains athletes toward an internationally recognized ruleset.
[World Governing Body Logo Placeholder]
To be confirmed — see note belowWorld Governing Body
At the international level, belt wrestling is organized under a handful of federations rather than a single global body — a reflection of how many regional styles feed into the sport. The International Belt Wrestling Association runs a world championship that forms part of the Worldwide Nomad Games; the International Kurash Association, founded in Tashkent in 1998, governs the Kurash style specifically and has driven its inclusion at the Asian Games since 2018; and national Köräş federations run an annual World Championship in Tatarstan, Russia.
BWWA is building India’s pathway into this international structure — training athletes and referees to a recognized ruleset so Indian wrestlers can compete at world championship level, alongside the federation’s broader JJIF affiliation pathway mentioned in the President’s Message →.
पकड़ ही पहचान है
Pakad Hi Pehchaan Hai — The Grip Is The Identity
Rules & How It's Played
- Grip — competitors hold only the belt or sash; Classic style forbids leg grips and trips, Freestyle allows them.
- Win condition — throwing the opponent so a body part above the knee touches the ground; clean, high-amplitude throws can win a bout outright, smaller throws score points.
- Weight categories — bouts run across men’s and women’s weight divisions, mirroring international belt-wrestling and Kurash championship structures.
- Match format — short, high-intensity bouts typically decided within a few minutes, scored by judges on throw execution and control.
In Action
A look at belt wrestling in competition — from the opening grip fight to the podium.
PRESIDENT
Sudesh Kumar
Overall federation leadership and external representation.
PRESIDENT
Sudesh Kumar
Overall federation leadership and external representation.
PRESIDENT
Sudesh Kumar
Overall federation leadership and external representation.
PRESIDENT
Sudesh Kumar
Overall federation leadership and external representation.
PRESIDENT
Sudesh Kumar
Overall federation leadership and external representation.
PRESIDENT
Sudesh Kumar
Overall federation leadership and external representation.
Curious how BWWA trains and certifies belt wrestling athletes and referees nationally? See the Technical Commission’s role in Commissions →, or find your state’s program through BWWA Family →.