On September 6th 1998 representatives of 28 states of Asia, Europe and Pan America established the International Kurash Association (IKA) – the official international sport organ representing Kurash in the world. Today the IKA unites 140 national Kurash federations in Asia, Europe, Pan America, Africa and Oceania.
The first historical world senior championship was held in May 1999 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.