SAMBO Japan in February: who are the judges?

In this report from Tokyo we’ll tell you about who was responsible for “SAMBO points, fouls and warnings” at the SAMBO Cup of the Russian President Vladimir Putin in Japan, how judicial manpower prepared for these competitions, and who helped them in that, as well as what came out of all that and in what way SAMBO referees are related to projects of the Japan-Russia Youth Exchange Center.

This year the Japanese SAMBO Cup of the Russian President Vladimir Putin was organised with the support of the Japan-Russia Youth Exchange Center. This unique organisation established 15 years ago, in addition to sending teachers of the Japanese language for training to Russia and giving grants to young scientists, also specialises in organising visits of youth of the two states to share experiences in various spheres of life. The Center programs are implemented in culture, sports, politics and this time it also touched upon SAMBO. Three SAMBO judges of the international category – Vasily Ugolnikov, Maxim Kornienko and Artem Drokov – conducted educational seminars for the Japanese judges under the guidance of Sergey Tabakov, FIAS Executive Director, in Tokyo on the eve of the Tournament.

We’d like to tell you about the seminars in details, because this time everything in the format of their conduct was unusual: an interesting theory delivery, joint practice, work with judging notes, analysis of complex situations, viewing and discussion of specially prepared video cuts from the World Championship 2013... And, what is most important, simple, fun and easy communication, which for two half-days of working together made the judges of the International SAMBO Federation and their Japanese colleagues great friends.

We’d like to tell you about the seminars in details, because this time everything in the format of their conduct was unusual.

“Our colleagues from Japan run the seminar successfully – with a great desire and dedication, there were moments in the explanations, where some “slippage” took place, but in my view it, only shows us the “painful points” of our rules, which must be made more simple and unambiguously interpreted”, – Maxim Kornienko comments on the work at the seminar.

As yearly as the next day after the seminar the Japanese referees were able to check the newly acquired knowledge and skills as well as to perfect the existing skills. They were the most underclad at cool plus 8 degrees Celsius at Yokohama gym. It was getting really bad looking at them, working in the judicial dress with short sleeves. But what counts most is that it was getting nice and quiet watching them work. And it pleased. Because, though there were still minor errors there these small flaws were corrected and discussed with colleagues from Moscow immediately, quickly and easily. Maxim continues: “I liked that on the very next day after the seminar our Japanese colleagues put into practice all they had learned and rehearsed the day before very organically. In my opinion, they need only practice now. See for yourself, I judge around 30-40 competitions a year, and, of course, nuances understanding, ability to make decisions, moreover in adequate situations in a very short period of time come with experience. Therefore here also, in my opinion, our colleagues only need a little more experience and not to stop developing”.

It was getting really bad looking at them, working in the judicial dress with short sleeves.

Some Japanese judges are in for the next study, rather, its continuation at the A.Kharlampiev Memorial World SAMBO Cup Stage in Moscow in late March. Then they will have to train a bit in summer, at the National Championship qualifying for the World Championship... and SAMBO planetary forum in November, where the Japanese will have to show not only their organisational and sports resource, but also judicial capacity.

The Japanese referees have the most important things for this – interest, desire and ability to work.