Sports neutrality: SAMBO wrestlers from Russia and Ukraine will meet again at a major tournament

The Armenian capital will host the SAMBO World Cup from June 7-8, which will be attended by leading athletes from 20 countries. Including from Russia and Ukraine. In Yerevan, a team of domestic SAMBO wrestlers, who have been competing in international tournaments in a neutral status and under the flag of FIAS (International Sambo Federation) since 2022, will be represented by more than 20 athletes.

Medals in sports and combat sambo competitions among men and women in 28 weight categories will be awarded at the tournament. The winners will receive a prize of $3,000, the runners-up will earn $2,000 each, and the bronze medalists will earn $1,000 each. The total prize fund of the tournament will be $196 thousand.

The SAMBO World Cup is traditionally one of the key events in the international SAMBO calendar. According to FIAS President Vasily Shestakov, the competitions in Yerevan, with Rosneft as the general partner and VTB Bank as the official partner, will be held at a high level— both in terms of organization and entertainment.

"Yerevan has repeatedly confirmed its status as a hospitable and comfortable city for major sporting events,— Shestakov said. — I am sure that the fans will see great performances, and the tournament itself will contribute to the growing popularity of our sport around the world. Exciting matches and a decent prize pool await the athletes, which will further enhance the intensity of the competition.

Let us remind you that SAMBO is one of the few sports where Russians and Belarusians did not stop participating in all major international tournaments after the events of February 2022. They perform on them in a neutral status. This decision was made in 2022 by the FIAS Executive Committee, despite the pressure and recommendations of the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

After the start of their training, due to political decisions and pressure from their own leaders, Ukrainian SAMBO wrestlers missed several major international competitions, including two European Championships (in Serbia in 2022 and in Israel in 2023), as well as one of the most prestigious tournaments, the World Cup in Kyrgyzstan in 2022.

Later, the Ukrainian national sambo team returned to the international arena, resigned to the neutral status of Russians and Belarusians. However, contacts between athletes and coaches of these countries are reduced to zero. Ukrainians do not shake hands with Russian and Belarusian SAMBO wrestlers before and after fights, and also try to avoid contact with them outside the carpet.

At the same time, there have never been any problems with the safety of athletes, which is often referred to by officials of international organizations from other sports, at SAMBO tournaments.

Russian SAMBO wrestlers traditionally go to Yerevan as the main favorites, which they invariably are at any international tournament. Last year, at the World Cup in Bishkek, the Russian national team took first place in the overall medal standings, winning 38 awards (22 gold, 12 silver, 4 bronze).