2011 World SAMBO Championships Opening Press Conference

The FIAS President Vasily Shestakov, the Minister of Interior Affairs of Lithuania and the Chairman of the Organizing Committee Mr. Raimundas Palaitis and the President of the Lithuanian SAMBO Federation Mr. Eduardas Rudas took part in the press conference. Some 500 athletes from 55 countries of the world will participate in the Championships. For the first time SAMBO wrestlers from Argentine, Mexico, Chili, Iraq, Nepal, Mauritius, Senegal and Turkey will compete at the event. "The geography of SAMBO is expanding and it is a sign that we are going in the right direction", remarked the FIAS President Vasily Shestakov in his address. The head of the Organizing Committee Mr. Raimundas Palaitis thanked the FIAS leaderships for the trust it exhibited in allocating such a major sport event. "If the tournament is held in the spirit of 'fair play', I will consider its organization and holding a success. However, naturally, we are hoping for medals for Lithuanian sambo wrestlers", said the head of the Organizing Committee on his expectations of the Championships. And of course the medals will come. Because SAMBO traditions are strong in Lithuania. The entire sambo community knows Veceslav Jezerskas, the three-time World Champion, Pranciskus Eigminas, the first President of the Lithuanian Sambo Federations, and the current President Eduardas Rudas, the former well-known sambo wrestler. Already tomorrow the Lithuanians will rest their hopes for Championships' medals on Sergey Grecicho and Eva Klimasauskiene, who are already two-time World SAMBO Champions and yearn to bring the number of titles to three. The Press Conference was conducted in lively atmosphere, the Olympic potential of the FIAS, relationships between judo and SAMBO, Championships' budget and other issues were discussed. The participants touched upon questions of audience appeal and demand at international sports arena. "Rich arsenal of moves and rules, which prescribe competitions to wrestle actively", shared the secret of SAMBO Vasily Shestakov, master of sports in SAMBO and merited coach of Russia. Those were only word. But they are the words of the very people who are doing a lot for SAMBO. And this Championships is another bright example of it. By the way, Eduardas Rudas believes than the interest towards SAMBO in Lithuania will increase tenfold after the World Championships. Well, we will see. And already tomorrow we will "root" and worry at the "Siemens-Arena", which will become SAMBO Mecca for the next three days.