A memorial to the SAMBO Founders was opened in Moscow

The solemn opening ceremony of the Memorial "To the founders of SAMBO in Russia V. A. Spiridonov, V. S. Oshchepkov and A. A. Kharlampiev" was held on December 18 in Moscow (Russia) on the Sports Hall of Fame of the Luzhniki sports complex.

“Today is a great historical event for the entire SAMBO world. We have long dreamed of such a monument, but how could the founders of SAMBO - Vasily Oshchepkov, Anatoly Kharlampiev, Viktor Spiridonov - think about the appearance of such a monument more than 80 years ago? How could they think that SAMBO will become one of the most popular martial arts in the whole world? I would especially like to note the work of the sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov, this is one of the most beautiful monuments that I have seen. I hope the memorial will become a kind of point of attraction where novice sambists will come and take an oath to our sport,” noted Vasily Shestakov, President of the International SAMBO Federation.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the All-Russian SAMBO Federation Rashid Nurgaliev, the Minister of Sports of Russia Oleg Matytsin, the President of the All-Russian SAMBO Federation Sergei Eliseev and the director of the SAMBO-70 school Renat Layshev.