Pavel SELIVANOV: "SAMBO Gave Me a Path in Life"

Pavel Selivanov made his mark in sports history as the first winner of the World Championships in the "SAMBO for the Blind" discipline in the under 98 kg weight category. In November 2024, at his debut international SAMBO tournament held in Kazakhstan, he confidently overcame all his opponents and won a gold medal. In an interview with the FIAS website, Pavel spoke about the tears of joy after his victory, the support of the audience, the role of his family in his life, and much more.

Pavel, let’s go back to the World Championships in Kazakhstan, where SAMBO for the Blind was included in the competition program for the first time. What were your expectations, and how did they align with reality?

– I imagined it just like that because I had previously followed SAMBO championships. But when you're part of it yourself, the emotions are indescribable. I really enjoyed competing in front of full stands; this was my first experience of the kind. And it’s thanks to the decision of FIAS to include SAMBO for the Blind in the traditional World Championships. When I stepped onto the mat and fought, hearing the voices of support from the stands was incredibly inspiring and motivating.

Speaking of the competition itself, how difficult was it to win gold?

– I would say everything went according to the plan my coach and I had prepared. There were no easy opponents at the World Championships. In the final, I won decisively, but it wasn’t easy. My coach and I studied my opponent in detail before the match. Although we didn’t know him beforehand, my coach had seen one of his earlier matches.

When we met in the final, we knew what he was likely to do. We prepared specifically for him, and I performed well – it all went according to plan.

Right after the final, you couldn’t hold back tears of joy. Do you remember that moment?

– This was captured by all the cameras and probably shown in all the broadcasts. As my wife later told me at home, they saw my tears as soon as I won.

After the final whistle, the referee brought us to the center of the mat, removed my helmet, raised my hand, and we shook hands with my opponent. As I walked toward my coach, I realized it was over – I became the World Champion.

At that moment, something triggered inside me, and the tears started flowing unexpectedly. My coach was crying too. These emotions, this joy – that’s the taste of victory; there’s no other way to describe it.

You mentioned earlier that including SAMBO for the Blind in the program of the traditional World Championships positively impacted the support from the audience. Overall, is this approach a plus or minus for athletes?

– From my experience, it’s a huge plus. I’ve competed in events where athletes with disabilities compete separately. In such cases, the stands are mostly filled with other participants, and the atmosphere feels subdued. 

At the recent World Championships, where we competed on the same platform as other athletes, we didn’t feel like 'different' people. We felt like equals. 

We shared mats with able-bodied athletes, trained alongside them in the warm-up area, and had the chance to communicate with SAMBO practitioners from around the world, including some of the most titled athletes. Their support and advices were invaluable. 

It’s crucial for athletes that SAMBO for the Blind is included in the program of traditional World Championships.

Pavel, who from the different countries did you meet during the tournament?

– I met an athlete from Egypt on the flight to Astana. Khaled Zaki, who competes in Combat SAMBO among heavyweights, was sitting in his seat – and half in mine, too, because he’s such a massive guy! We had a great conversation.

At the tournament itself, there were many new acquaintances and lots of interaction – athletes from Uzbekistan, Georgia, Germany, and many other countries. We spent a lot of time socializing at the hotel where participants from different countries stayed. Even without knowing much of each other's languages, we found ways to communicate, share stories, and discuss SAMBO.

Pavel, let’s rewind even further. How did you first get involved in SAMBO for the Blind?

– At 25, I was classified as having a second-degree visual disability. It was a challenging and uncertain time. I started exploring sports for the visually impaired. Around that time, Roman Novikov, Chairman of the FIAS Commission for Athletes with Disabilities, contacted me. He invited me to participate in the national SAMBO championship, and that’s where my journey in combat sports began.

The first two years were tough as I searched for a coach, training at various gyms. In 2018, I met my current coach, Maxim Koshkarovsky. He welcomed me into his SAMBO gym, and that’s where my serious journey in SAMBO started.

That’s how everything began to fall into place.

How did your family celebrate your victory?

– For any athlete, family is probably the most important thing. In my case, my entire family works to support me. My wife left her office job so I could train. She now works remotely from home because I have two training sessions a day, and our entire schedule revolves around me: morning training, lunch, rest, evening training. My family supports me in everything.

After the victory, my wife cried, and all our relatives cried with happiness. My final match was broadcast on the national sports channel Match TV, so everyone close to me watched and rejoiced. My wife even baked a cake decorated with the logo of the national SAMBO federation to celebrate my victory. 

My children are proud too. My youngest son says, 'I want to be like Dad!' My eldest son accompanies me to training and prepares for his own competitions.

Do you envision a professional SAMBO career for your son?

– I’m not planning anything yet. He’s 14 now and combines several sports: rugby in the morning and SAMBO in the evening. I’m not pushing him toward a professional career because it’s hard work. It’s his choice to make.

Lastly, a bit of a philosophical question. What does SAMBO mean to you?

– I found myself in SAMBO. SAMBO gave me a path in life.

At 25, when I became visually impaired, I had a choice: stay home on the couch or do something. I chose to fight – in both the literal and figurative sense.

Thanks to SAMBO, I’ve been able to travel, visiting different cities and countries, which is very important to me. 

To sum it up, SAMBO is my path!