Vasily Shestakov Holds Working Meeting with Mikhail Degtyarev

Vasily Shestakov, President of the International SAMBO Federation (FIAS), held a working meeting with Russian Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev. During the talks, both sides discussed pressing issues in SAMBO's international development, noting the discipline's remarkable progress and growing popularity.

“It's encouraging that Russia's Minister of Sport pays such close attention to our sport of SAMBO,” Shestakov stated. He thanked Degtyarev, highlighting that virtually immediately after taking office, the Minister elevated SAMBO to the same status as Olympic sports in Russia. The meeting participants also discussed prospects for SAMBO's inclusion in the Olympic Games program, as well as major continental competitions: the European Games, Asian Games, and Pan American Games.

Shestakov provided a detailed overview of SAMBO's key achievements in 2025.

“The year has been historic: after 32 years, SAMBO returned to the World Games program, which took place in Chengdu, China, this past August. Just as importantly, it received official recognition from the International Paralympic Committee,” the FIAS president emphasized.

He noted that this landmark decision paves the way for SAMBO's inclusion in the Paralympic Games program.

The meeting also highlighted a decision made by the FIAS Executive Committee in December 2025. As of January 1, 2026, athletes from Russia and Belarus have been granted the right to compete in international tournaments under FIAS auspices under their national flags. As meeting participants noted, this development triggered a chain reaction across other sports, which subsequently allowed Russian athletes to compete under their national flags and anthems as well.