Vasily Shestakov, the President of Sambo International Federation (FIAS), commented on the debut combat sambo duel among juniors as well as talked about the future of women combat sambo.
- This year, for the first time in the history of the Sambo International Federation, combat sambo competitions among juniors were held in Yerevan as a part of the World Youth Championship. Why was this decision made?
- Indeed, this year we were the first to hold combat sambo competitions among juniors. The decision was made at the meeting of the FIAS executive committee and was based both on the demand of national federations and common sense. After all, in fact, the juniors are the sambo wrestlers aged 18-20, which means they are already adult athletes who have an opportunity to compete at the World Championship for adults. That is why the World Youth Championship is actually a platform that allows one to gain invaluable experience and prepare for the performance at the main tournament of FIAS.
- Are there plans of introducing women combat sambo on a mass scale?
- As far as women's combat sambo is concerned, it is too early to talk about its mass implementation, but we are gradually developing this trend and focusing on it. Female combat sambo tournaments are already taking place in some countries and even continental championships, for example, in Pan America and Asia. We hope to get to the European continent, Africa, Australia and Oceania in the future. I am confident that women's combat sambo has a great future.