Cyprus joined the "SAMBO to School" project

First gym of the "SAMBO to School" project opened in the Russian-language school "Academy of Gnosis" in Nicosia (Republic of Cyprus).

According to the President of the Cyprus Sambo Federation, Marios Andreou, only one school has so far entered the project, where at the moment children from the first and second grades are studying the basics of SAMBO.

“We have been conducting introductory SAMBO lessons in Cypriot schools for a long time. During the pandemic, all gyms, with the exception of the school ones, are closed. In one of the opened educational institutions, we decided to start classes in a project format.

Of course, we would like to come closer to the Russian experience in the future. The Federation has already sent a proposal to the educational institutions to open a SAMBO section. We are ready to help initiative groups in their endeavors to open evening classes or a full-fledged SAMBO school.

I believe that the "SAMBO to School" project is very perspective for the popularization of this sport. Many children stay at school after the lessons, waiting for their parents, this is the time they can spend on the SAMBO mats, and in the future, perhaps, join the ranks of professional athletes,” Marious Andreu said.

Svetlana Mardapitta, director of the children's center and school Gnosis Academy, told where this idea came from.

“Our children's center has been cooperating with the SAMBO section and the federation for a long time. We saw that children are very interested in this sport and try not to miss classes. Therefore, when a general education Russian school was created on the basis of the center two years ago, we immediately discussed with Marious the possibility of conducting SAMBO classes during physical education lessons. We knew that the "SAMBO to School" project is now successfully developing in Russia and decided to use this experience.

Now SAMBO classes are held in physical education lessons for both boys and girls. At this time, children learn the basics of martial arts, and those who are especially interested in SAMBO come to additional classes in the evenings,” Svetlana Mardapitta said.