Sambo competitions among rural youth have started in the Orel region

The third All-Russian sambo competition for rural youth has started in the Orel region. On May 17, the first "VernoSelo" of the country welcomes the best young SAMBO wrestlers — they name localities where the foundations of the traditions of having many children, patriotism and spiritual values have been successfully implemented, the Izvestia correspondent said.

Before the final bouts, athletes warm up in the gym. However, worthy rivals were not found for everyone. So, young Sofia Frolova became a participant of the competition only nominally. There was no corresponding competitor in her category, either in weight or age. According to correspondent Denis Kulaga, such a problem is a key one for the development of SAMBO in rural areas.

"We have written a letter to the Minister of Sports and have repeatedly held telephone talks with the president. They don't have SAMBO in the regional territories, only in the regional center. Unfortunately, such a problem exists in most regions of the Russian Federation today," said Anatoly Yakunin, Vice President of the All—Russian Sambo Federation.

The village of Kravtsovo-Plota, where Yakunin himself is from, now bears the proud name of the "homeland of rural sambo". There is a monument dedicated to this sport at the entrance to a small village. Thanks to the VernoSelo project, aimed at reviving rural life, the village got a second wind — new residents began to move in. This year, teams from 24 regions of the country are taking part in the All-Russian rural competitions at the new stadium. The organizers are confident that Leta will find a worthy sparring partner for little Sofia.

In April, it was reported that Kamil, a veteran of the special military operation (SVO), organized a SAMBO section in Pskov for children, other veterans, people with disabilities and anyone else. As the People's Front told Izvestia, Kamil plans to continue developing his school, expand it, and create various new directions, including winter ones. He also intends to work on projects and grants that will improve the sections.