To Presidents of National Sambo Federations

Dear colleagues,

During World Sambo Championships among veterans, held in 2002-2005 in different countries, many participants of the competitions offered suggestions on improving organization of sambo championships among veterans.
Taking into the account the suggestions of our colleagues and their desire to change the way the Veteran's Committee works, I hereby ask you to express your opinions on this letter, to discuss it on the meeting of the Veteran's Committee of your Federation, in order to reach a mutual decision on improving the way of FIAS Veteran Committee's work during World Championship among veterans 2006 in Tashkent.

Questions submitted for discussion:

• To present before FIAS Congress discussion: change name "Sambo Veterans Committee" to "Sambo Masters-Veterans Committee".
• Not to limit participation of national teams according to the number of sportsmen in World Championship. Any master-veteran can participate in the absence of medical problems (written medical form) and provided that his membership fees are paid.
• To encourage the arrival of participant's family members to the World Championships and include them in preliminary application.
• To welcome each and every team in the airport (according to the national traditions).
• Suggested hotel accommodations should be located in close proximity to the place of the championship, with possibility of finding accommodation of your own.
• Each participant of the Championship receives a memorable medal and a certificate of participation.
• To allow sportsmen to wear national festive attire during the award ceremony.
• After the competition a festive banquet is held, on which participants from every country can: prepare and present an amateur performance, take part in photo gallery "They Started Sambo in Our Country", exchange memorable souvenirs with representatives of other participating countries.
• Offer full mass media coverage of the championship, inviting journalists from television, radio stations and newspapers.
• Every preliminary application can include: participant, coach, representative, judge, sponsor, journalist, member of the delegation (for family members).
  Everyone mentioned in the preliminary application pay for participation and accommodation by themselves.
• Hold demonstration Sambo, Combat Sambo and national wrestling performances during the intermissions and in the end of the championship.
• Besides traditional awards "for the best technique", "best judge", introduce new awards: "for longevity in Sambo", "for active participation in organization of World Sambo Championship among veterans", journalists - "for popularization of Sambo".
• Organizer of the competition should prepare demonstration kids and juniors Sambo performances, short concert program, free historical and cultural tour of the city.
• During next World Sambo Championship among veterans in Tashkent (September 2006), hold Veteran Council and elect an international body, whose responsibilities will include: a)raise funds from sponsors for organizing competitions, b)special sponsor fundraising benefiting masters-veterans in hospitals and etc., c)distribution of the funds (according to their accumulation) to federations holding competitions among masters-veterans and conducting other uniting events, d)participation of Sambo wrestlers in Masters-Veterans Committee's planning and in putting plans into action.
• The following organization structure of the FIAS Masters-Veterans Committee, elected for the period of 4 years between FIAS Congresses, is suggested:
  

  Committee President

  Vice-President of organization of competitions

  Vice-President of general problems

  President of Board of Advisors

  Heads of the following departments: coaches, judges, information, financial

• Organize a similar functional Committees in every country - member of FIAS.
• Associate famous national, political and business leaders, who understand and support Masters-Veterans Sambo Committee's work in their country, with the Committee of that country.
• Open and maintain new page - Sambo Master-Veteran - on web-site www.sambo.com, where information on Master-Veteran Committee's work can be presented.
• Prepare and publish an annual magazine "World Championship among masters-veterans", in which one could find all course of events of the championship, interviews with participants, photos of all sportsmen and judges of the competition.
• If you have any additional suggestions and ideas, please don't hesitate to send them to my address.

Most of the expressed suggestions can be summarized by the idea, that every World Championship among masters-veterans should become a memorable event not of old technique and strength, but of ageless Sambo veteran's spirit! New generation should learn the veteran's motto "Life is fight, and fight is Sambo!".

Hoping for effective cooperation and truly yours,

President of Veteran Committee of FIAS
Boris Talis (USA)



Reference: Boris Talis was born in 1938 in Romania, citizen of USA, lives in New York, businessman, Master Sport of Sambo, twice World Champion among veterans (2000 - Malta, 2002 - France, 2004 - third place), author of three books "S Amerikoi na ty", publisher of "Odessa-na-Gudsone" newspaper, host of russian tv and radio shows, Vise-President of USA Amateur Sambo Federation, journalist and author of Sambo column in "Metro" magazine.
Tel: 1-718 – 646 – 1502, Fax: 1-718 – 891 – 4190
e-mail: btalis@aol.com
Address: Boris Talis, 3172 Coney Island Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11235, USA