SAMBO Shines at the Indonesia Martial Arts Games 2025

The Indonesia Martial Arts Games 2025 became a milestone moment for SAMBO, as the combat sport took its place among the ten disciplines featured in Indonesia’s first-ever multi-sport event dedicated entirely to martial arts.

Helding in Kudus, Central Java, from 11 to 26 October 2025, the Games united over 2,500 athletes from all 38 provinces across the nation, celebrating Indonesia’s martial arts heritage. Alongside traditional and international disciplines such as Pencak Silat, Tarung Derajat, Judo, Taekwondo, Karate, SAMBO and others.

The SAMBO competitions, held from 18 to 22 October, brought together more than 200 athletes from 22 provinces, competing across 32 weight categories. Over five days of intense matches, athletes demonstrated exceptional skill, discipline, and sportsmanship on their way to the medals.

“The success of SAMBO at the Indonesia Martial Arts Games 2025 marks a significant step forward for the sport in Indonesia,” said Krisna Bayu, President of the Indonesia SAMBO Federation. “We are deeply grateful for the continuous support from the International SAMBO Federation (FIAS) and the SAMBO Union of Asia and Oceania, which have been instrumental in strengthening our development programs nationwide.”

The inclusion of SAMBO in such a large-scale national event highlights its growing importance in Indonesia’s sports ecosystem, the Indonesia SAMBO Federation said. Beyond competition, the Games provided an opportunity to showcase SAMBO’s values of respect, resilience, and fair play, inspiring a new generation of martial artists, they added.

Looking to the future, the Indonesia SAMBO Federation is broadening its efforts toward inclusivity by developing Blind SAMBO in cooperation with the Indonesia National Paralympic Committee.