SAMBO’s Asian tour

Asian cities are flying by as do months on the calendar, but basic values, integrated into the fabric of the tour, remain constant: SAMBO, seminars, championships, recognition by Olympic Committees.

And this is not a surprise: after all the main FIAS task at the moment is to develop and promote SAMBO in the whole world as well as on a separate continent: Asia.

Middle of January.

Delegation of the Asian Sambo Federation visited Seoul, where the Eastern Asia SAMBO Championships took place. The geography of sambo competition in Asia is expanding each year. This time, for the first time history, athletes from Taiwan participated in such tournament. Moving from sports issues to organizational ones. Simultaneously Seoul welcomed the Congress of the Eastern Asia SAMBO Federation. SAMBO Federation of Taiwan became its newest member.

Wrestlers from Japan and Mongolia - recognized leaders of international SAMBO - were the ones to entertain the audience by meaningful and spectacular wrestling. And among those who enjoyed the sports show were the competition's guests of honor: Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia and Pakistan in Korea as well as representatives of the Embassies of Russia and Uzbekistan.

February. The next point on the map of Asian SAMBO tour is Syria and its capital Damascus. The outcome of the visit: signing of the agreement to host the inaugural Syrian SAMBO Championship as well as presentation by the President of NOC of the Syrian Arab Republic Mr. Mowaffak Joumaa to the President of the Asian SAMBO Federation Mr. Fazliddin Pulatov of the letter declaring official recognition of SAMBO by the Syrian NOC.

Lebanon, Beirut - this is the next stop for SAMBO which is moving over Asia. Meeting with the leadership of the Lebanon SAMBO and Judo Federation, its president Francois Saade and Secretary General Abdo Ayoub ended up in reaching an agreement to develop SAMBO in the region. The result is organization of Western Asia SAMBO Championships and Arab Countries SAMBO Championships. The delegation also visited Lebanon's NOC, which ensured Mr. Fazliddin Pulatov of its full support of SAMBO. The outcome is the letter of recognition of SAMBO by Lebanon's NOC.

The next geographical point for the Asian SAMBO Federation to visit was Amman (Jordan). Dr. Bassel Al-Shair, the head of the Arab Martial Arts Games Organizing Committee informed the leaders of the Asian SAMBO Federation that SAMBO is included into the program of the Arab Martial Arts Games. The geography of the Games is mind-blowing: representatives of 12 Arab countries and 10 African countries will compete for the right to be called the Champion of such a major martial arts forum.

Early March. Syria welcomes the inaugural National SAMBO Championships. Among its participants are representatives of various martial arts disciplines, who employed their skills and knowledge to our - widely developing worldwide - sports discipline - SAMBO. All SAMBO disciplines were in-demand in Syria, athletes from both competitive and combat SAMBO took part in the Championships. In addition to men, women were equally involved in competitive SAMBO, who enjoyed performing at the tournament. All participants received SAMBO uniform from the FIAS as a gift.

Middle of March. Taiwan welcomes the National SAMBO Championships. Prior to the start of the tournament a seminar for athletes, coaches and judges has been held under the FIAS aegis. At the end of the seminar all participants received sports uniform from the FIAS. After the end of the Championships delegation of Asian SAMBO representatives was received by the Taiwan NOC Secretary General, who ensured our leaders that the NOC of the country will recognize sambo in the nearest future.

End of March. Seoul again. It hosted Korean SAMBO Championships, already the second one in the history of South Korea. Honorary president of the South Korea SAMBO Ryu Geong Ok declared the competition open and in his welcoming speech mentioned that the competition will be a dress rehearsal of a sort for the 2012 Asian Championships. A seminar for judges, athletes and coaches with presentation of sports uniform for all participants is a familiar, but important move by FIAS within a framework of its program for development of SAMBO in the world as whole and in Asia in particular.

Nepal welcomed SAMBO in the middle of May, the delegation of Asian SAMBO Federation visited Kathmandu. The visit coincided with an annual report meeting of Nepal SAMBO Federation at which Danandjaia Shrestha was elected as its new President. An important meeting with the President of the Nepal NOC Mr. Dhurba Bahadur took place, with the main item on the agenda being development of SAMBO in Nepal. SAMBO is a sports discipline which is officially recognized by Nepal NOC and the question of organizing the first South Asian Championships was easily solved. Nepal and SAMBO will go hand in hand.

May, Beirut (Lebanon). It hosted the West Asia Championships and Arab Countries SAMBO Championships. On their eve the Congress of West Asia SAMBO Federation elected a representative of Syria Yasin Al-Ayoubi as the President of the organization. Men competed in sports and combat SAMBO events. Everyone was allowed to participate in a seminar and received SAMBO sports uniform from the FIAS as a gift.