Finnish Sambo Federation

The Finnish SAMBO Federation was founded in 2009. Its first president was one of the world’s leading experts in martial arts – legendary Auvo Niiniketo, the creator of the modern jiu-jitsu style Hokuto-Ryu (The Style of the Northern Star).

The current president of the Federation, Anatoly Skippari, continues the traditions established by Auvo Niiniketo. Anatoly is a prize-winner of Finnish championships in both judo and jiu-jitsu, formerly headed a jiu-jitsu club in Turku, and holds a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Many of his students have gone on to achieve great success in martial arts.

Vice President Anatoly Smolyanov founded the “SAMBO-2000” club in Helsinki in 2000. Today, it is one of the leading sambo clubs in Finland in terms of participation and activity – particularly among junior athletes. For his contribution to the development of youth sports, Anatoly Smolyanov has been honored with several state awards, including orders and medals from the Government of Finland.

The Federation’s Secretary General, Heikki Haapa-Aho, is a well-known figure in the wrestling community in Finland and across Europe. He has competed in numerous international SAMBO championships in Europe and worldwide, earning multiple podium finishes. Heikki runs his own club in Helsinki, where he teaches SAMBO. He holds the highest-level coaching certification and is actively involved in the development of the referee corps.