FIAS President Vasily Shestakov Attends Opening of World Nomad Games

FIAS President Vasily Shestakov attended the official opening ceremony of the VI World Nomad Games, held on August 31 at the Bishkek Arena in the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

The opening ceremony took place at the newly built Bishkek Arena, Central Asia's largest venue, with a capacity of 51,000 seats. Heads of state from 17 countries attended the event, underscoring the Games' status as a major international platform. The Games run from August 31 to September 6, with the main sports program featuring 43 disciplines, including SAMBO. This year's competitions and festivities are expected to draw around four thousand athletes from roughly a hundred countries.

SAMBO competitions at the World Nomad Games will take place on September 3 in Cholpon-Ata. Athletes will contest medals in men's Sport SAMBO across three weight categories: up to 64 kg, up to 79 kg, and the absolute category.

2026 marks the second time SAMBO has featured in the Games' program, cementing the sport's place on a platform that brings together athletes representing ethnic and national combat traditions from around the world. SAMBO first appeared on the program of these multi-sport Games in 2018 – also in Kyrgyzstan.

Commenting on SAMBO's inclusion in the VI World Nomad Games, Vasily Shestakov said:

“In 2026, SAMBO will take part in the World Nomad Games program for the second time. Historically, our sport has absorbed the best practices of combat traditions from many nations, and today it rightfully holds its place on such a unique stage. SAMBO is currently experiencing a genuine surge of growth in Kyrgyzstan and across Asia as a whole – it brings together the sporting schools and traditions of dozens of nations, continues to grow more spectacular and recognizable, and each year draws athletes representing an ever wider range of cultures to its tournaments.”

As part of the visit to Bishkek, the FIAS delegation led by Vasily Shestakov held a series of meetings with representatives of the sporting community, business circles, and government bodies. One such meeting was with Paolo Zampolli, Special Envoy of the President of the USA for Global Partnerships, where the two sides exchanged views on the ongoing World Nomad Games and the prospects for international sports development.

Separately, the FIAS president held a meeting with the leadership of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University (KRSU), also attended by Aziz Ibraev, President of the SAMBO Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic, and Ivan Egorov, President of the SAMBO Federation of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The parties discussed the development of student SAMBO and training infrastructure, plans for joint competitions and training camps, and prospects for cooperation in sports science and medicine. Vasily Shestakov pledged FIAS support for KRSU's initiatives and invited university representatives to take part in next year's “Sport, People and Health” forum.

The participants also discussed prospects for the Vitaly Gordeev Sports Club and the possibility of holding an international tournament in his memory at the university. KRSU's leadership was presented with a model of a commemorative plaque reading “Vitaly Gordeev SAMBO Hall”, to be installed once the gym is renovated and prepared for training.