India's Sohail Khan urges inclusion of Kudo in future World Games

Sohail Khan urges Kudo’s inclusion in The World Games, citing sport’s global growth and his own historic World Cup silver.

Indian Kudo star Sohail Khan has called for the inclusion of the combat sport in future editions of The World Games, stating that it would give athletes a global platform and help the discipline grow beyond its current reach.

“Kudo deserves to be a regular part of The World Games. We have the talent, the international presence, and the competitive depth to be on that stage,” said Sohail.

“When I represent India, I am also representing Kudo as a sport, and I want to see it get the recognition it has earned over the years.”

Kudo has been showcased on the World Games stage before. In 2013, during the first-ever World Games held in South America, the sport was included as a demonstration event.

Over two days in Buga, Colombia, a city located 55 km from the main host city of Cali, 12 exhibition matches were held, giving global audiences a taste of Kudo’s unique blend of striking, grappling, and throwing techniques.

Kudo is officially recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, as well as by more than ten National Olympic Committees worldwide. It is practiced in over 60 countries and has recently gained recognition from TAFISA (The Association for International Sport for All), which is itself recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

These developments reflect Kudo’s growing global stature and readiness for inclusion in elite multi-sport competitions.

Sohail’s appeal comes at a time when his career is on a high. Earlier this year, he created history at the Kudo World Cup 2025 in Burgas, Bulgaria, becoming the first Indian male athlete to reach the final at the senior level and winning a silver medal.

His path to the final included victories over top fighters from Bulgaria and Lithuania before a narrow loss to France’s Quentin Miramont in a thrilling contest.

Recently, he also booked his place at the Fourth Kudo Asian Championship 2025 in Tokyo after winning both his bouts at the national selection trials in Surat.

Known as the “Golden Boy of Madhya Pradesh,” Sohail is a Junior World Champion (2017), a four-time gold medalist at the Akshay Kumar International Kudo Tournament, and holds an unmatched record of 22 consecutive national gold medals.

Sohail believes that with such an international pedigree, Kudo athletes are ready for the exposure and prestige that comes with the World Games. “We have fighters from all across the globe, and the level is world-class. Being in the World Games will inspire young athletes and put our sport on the map in a way nothing else can,” he said.

The World Games 2025, the 12th edition of the multi-sport event, are currently underway in Chengdu, People’s Republic of China, from August 7 to 17, 2025.

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