Sambo takes a number of steps towards joining the Olympic family

At the meeting in Moscow the Executive Committee of Federation of International Amateur Sambo (FIAS) has approved the package of documents, which are necessary for sambo joining the Olympic family.

The meeting of the Executive Committee was held during the World Cup “Anatoly Kharlampiev Memorial”. This is the largest international tournament. For the popularity, the number of participants and fans and media exposure it can be considered the rival of World Cup. This year the representatives from 24 countries, including Belarus, France, the USA, Georgia, Venezuela, Morocco, Uzbekistan and Romania took part in the competitions.

By the unanimous decision of the Executive Committee the number of major FIAS documents was accepted. These documents (the disciplinary code of FIAS and the application document for event managers of FIAS) are necessary both for competent daily life of sambo association and for sambo joining Global Olympic Family.

Also in 2016 the sports rating has come into force. This rating summarizes the results of the championships, of World Cup and international tournaments. By these results, it will be easier to carry out the process of more competent draw of top sambo wrestlers. In turn, it will allow to optimize the competitive process. The Executive Committee debriefed Monique Athanase, who is the chairman of FIAS women's commission and the president of Seychelles Sambo Association. Ms. Athanase has noted: “It is important for us to understand and to estimate the involvement of women into sambo process, to understand the degree of their presence in sambo movement. The main goal of the commission is providing equal opportunities for women within this kind of sport, and at all levels – an athlete, a referee, a trainer”.

The Belarusian sambo wrestlers brought 13 medals from a tournament. Silver medal won Regina Shatravskaya (68 kg) who had yielded the championship to Russian Marina Mokhnatkina. Timofey Yemelyanov (82 kg) couldn't overcome Russian Andrey Perepelyuk in final match and reached the second step too. In final fight in terms of 48 kg Anfisa Kapayeva lost to Russian Anastasia Hramova. Vae Tutkhalyan (62 kg) couldn't resist to the representative of Kazakhstan Esset Kuanov and had to content himself with a silver medal. Christina Kazanoy (56 kg), Tatyana Matsko (64 kg), Olga Namazova (72 kg), Vadim Mikulskiy (74 kg), Sergey Lesyak (90 kg), Alesya Mlechko (52 kg), Dzhambulat Akhmadov (57 kg), Vladislav Sayapin (68 kg) and Valeria Smukhunova (80 kg) became bronze medalists of the tournament.

Background information: The Federation of International Amateur Sambo is actively working on the process of sambo recognition by the International Olympic Committee. FIAS has achieved significant progress in sambo joining to the program of various multi-sport events. The most important were the first European Olympic Games in 2015. There the Belarusian sambo wrestlers won 7 medals. Thanks to the significant contribution of sambo wrestlers in the overall medal standings Belarus took the resulting 7th place.

Translated by Ekaterina Karelina, four-year student of FIC, MSLU