A press-conference covering the organization of the Russian President's Sambo Cup was held 26 July in Moscow.

The participants in the press-conference are to follow:

Vasiliy Shestakov - the President of FIAS, Deputy of the Russian Federation State Duma,

Sergey Baidakov - the President of Moscow Sambo Federation, Deputy Mayor of Moscow,

Sergey Yeliseyev - the President of the European Sambo Federation and Russian Sambo Federation.

Dmitriy Troshkin - chief coach of the Russia Sambo team.

Speakers at the press-conference focused attention of the audience first of all to the Russian President's Sambo Cup to be held as a part of the International Forum "Russia is a Sports State" (Moscow, July 30, 2010).

The tournament was initiated by the Russian Sambo Federation in accordance with the instruction of the RF President dated 2006. In the year 2007 the prestige trophy time was presented for the first time to the Russia Team.

The best teams of the World Championship gain the right to contend the challenge cup. This year we can see among them the teams of Bulgaria, Bielorussia, Georgia, Greece, Republic of Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Venezuela.

Inclusion of Sambo in the Olympic Games program is in perspective for the near future - as it was said by Vasiliy Shestakov, the President of FIAS, member of Physical Education and Sports RF State Duma Committee, Honored coach of Russia.

According to him, "now FIAS includes 81 National Federations on 3 continents. Sambo develops actively in 35 countries of Europe. Sambo Federations are also founded in 40 countries of Asia. Sambo is promoted actively in South America - in Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela. In addition to the above-mentioned, the African Sambo Championship was recently held with the participation of athletes from 13 countries".

As it was noticed by Mr. Shestakov, "The general purpose of FIAS now is to score a success in recognition of Sambo by the National Olympic Committees. It is not an easy process".

In accordance with Mr. Shestakov's assessment, Sambo will be recognized by the National Olympic Committees during this year and in the beginning of the next year. Besides this, the First SportAccord Combat Games will be held in Beijing in September 2010. Sambo is included in the Games program. This tournament is to draw a wide international response. We can demonstrate to the International Olympic Committee during these Games how serious is our intention to achieve inclusion of Sambo in the Olympic Games program.

Sergey Baidakov, the President of the Moscow Sambo Federation, emphasized that "the recognition of Sambo as an Olympic kind of sports is not only striving for compliance with requirements of the International Olympic Committee but it is also an advocacy in every country and internationally which is absolutely not an easy task".

IOC thinks favorably of the idea to include Sambo in the Olympic family. Particularly, as it was noticed by Mr. Shestakov, the IOC President Jacques Rogge supported in Dubai (SportAccord International Convention, May 2010) the idea to include Sambo in the Olympic Games program.

FIAS has developed a program to promote Sambo internationally. This program includes creation of an International center for development of Sambo in Moscow to render comprehensive help and support to the National Sambo Federations (provision with sports outfit, literature, photo and video materials, holding the educational and training seminars, practical exercises, etc.).

"Extensive media coverage of Sambo events is very important for promotion of Sambo worldwide (which is one of IOC requirements), - said Mr. Shestakov, - and I would like to use the opportunity to address to you, dear journalists, directly and to ask for your assistance in such an important and serious component as our common work".

Then Mr. Shestakov said, "Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of Mix Fight European Championship (July 15, Sochi), the Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin highly appreciated the performance of all the participants and emphasized that "The nations of our country practice many kinds of combat sports. But in the modern history all our combat sports follow from Sambo. I believe that the time has come for Sambo to become an Olympic kind of sports."

Such an attention towards Sambo from Mr. Putin (who is Master of Sambo himself) is an evidence of willingness from the Russian Federation Prime Minister to support the promotion of Sambo internationally, which is particularly valuable for F?d?ration Internationale Amateur de Sambo as well as for the Sambo family as a whole worldwide.