The ancient sport of wrestling in Iran: The name of this ritual sport is Gile Mardi.

Описание: Gilehmardi wrestling is a kind of popular event with special customs, which has strict rules and is governed by the spirit of a warrior. This sport is played in Gilan and west of Mazandaran and is one of the most popular games in this region, along with Warzajang.

The sport of wrestling in Iran is about 5 thousand years old.


Gilemardi wrestling is considered the only conventional sport in a wide area west of Mazandaran and Gilan. Guilehmerdi ship is known as Mazandarani ship in some mountainous areas of Gilan.


Traditionally, it is held at the end of summer when the agricultural work ends, or during the visit of government figures or at the end of a religious ceremony (for example, during ``alm vachini in the life of Imamzadeh at the beginning of Muharram).


Until recent times, wrestling between several athletes was a usually permanent feature of rural marriages. The wrestling ceremony begins with a traditional parade or prayer of the wrestlers who greet the spectators and their competitors. Wrestlers put one leg forward, and their hand touches their knee, mouth, and forehead, respectively. In big competitions, the team of each village is subject to the hierarchy of hardness of the house of fighters and newcomers, and in the next order between the fighters.


There is no weight classification and no time limit for the bouts, but wrestlers can ask the referee to stop if the bout is taking too long. The purpose of the game is to force the opponent to touch the ground using hands, fists and feet (kicking is prohibited).


For this purpose, one needs both strength and strategy. When the game is over, the winner hugs the loser and jumps to the center of the field and receives a branch decorated with cloth and money given by the spectators after his victory. In big competitions, village elders may give a cow or a horse or a flowered silk shawl to the champion who eliminated all his rivals.