SAMBO at the Summer Diplomatic Games

The XIII Summer Diplomatic Games took place on August 20th in Zavidovo (Moscow). Ambassadors accredited to Russia and their families, Russian public and political figures, famous athletes – World and Olympic Champions, took part in the festivities. The festival begun with a spectacular opening and continued with competitions in various sports disciplines: basketball, football, shooting, fishing, billiards, tennis – there was an option for everyone. The International Federation of Amateur Sambo participated in the festival with a SAMBO presentation. A performance by the FIAS exhibition group was offered to the attention of the crowd, as well as a welcome from the FIAS President Vasily Shestakov, a very cordial one and giving full understanding of what SAMBO is. Spectacular, high-amplitude moves, self-defense technique and elements of combat SAMBO, as well as grace of rhythmic gymnasts were the things the FIAS offered to public. Loud applauds and public’s interest, as a result attention to SAMBO master classes. Despite versatile and packed competitive program of the festival, the FIAS master classes were in high demand. Kids of various ages, women and men all rushed to get in touch with this martial art, to learn basics of self-defense and some elementary moves. Some were interested in blow technique, which is a part of combat SAMBO, some in self-defense moves, such as defense from grappling, knife and gun, some wanted to get acquainted with the most basic SAMBO moves: a backwards flying tackle and hip throw. Everyone received their share of professional attention and, most interesting, a lot of people of various ages expressed interesting in signing up for SAMBO classes, and this is the most important part: increasing the number of SAMBO fans. People learned about SAMBO, they got in touch with SAMBO, they got interested in SAMBO. And it means the FIAS task, if even on a very small scale and on one particular day, was fulfilled.