Cinisello Balsamo Hosts International SAMBO Tournament for Second Consecutive Year

The Italian town of Cinisello Balsamo in the Milan metropolitan area hosted the 2nd International SAMBO Tournament on December 20-21. The competition, organized by the local Isao Okano Club 97, marked an important step in establishing Italy as one of the premier destinations for international SAMBO events.

This year's tournament brought together a strong field of competitors, with athletes from six countries – Italy, Bulgaria, Germany, Great Britain, France, and Lithuania – competing at the Pala Allende sports center. The growing number of participating nations demonstrates the tournament's increasing prominence on the European SAMBO calendar.

“We're proud to see this tournament grow year after year,” said Roberto Ferraris, Head of Italian SAMBO. “The fact that athletes from across Europe are choosing Cinisello Balsamo shows that Italy is becoming a key hub for SAMBO. We'll continue working to enhance the prestige of our competitions on the international stage.”

The tournament featured world-class athletes, including World and European champion Kateryna Moskalova representing the host club, as well as Bulgaria's world champion Ivan Harkov and reigning European champion Tanya Radulova, both holding top positions in the world rankings in their respective weight categories.

The successful execution of the tournament was made possible through the support of Cinisello Balsamo Mayor Dr. Giacomo Ghilardi and Sports Councilor Dr. Riccardo Malavolta. Diego Brambilla, president of Isao Okano Club 97, led the organizing committee in delivering the event.

In the team standings, Italy finished first, followed by Bulgaria in second place and France 2 in third.