On the eve of the European Sambo Championship the 26th Congress of the European Sambo Federation was held in Minsk.
The Congress was attended by 13 members of the ESF Executive Committee, 26 representatives of ESF National Sambo Federations, and one representative of the National Sambo Federation — candidate for membership to the European Sambo Federation.
The President of the European Sambo Federation Sergey Eliseev delivered a report on the ESF EC activity for 2016. He said about the changes in administration of National Sambo Federations over the last year. It concerns both the status of the federations and the heads of the federations:
— The Italian Sambo Association became part of the FEDERAZIONE ITALIANA KICKBOXING MUAI THAI SAVATE SHOOT BOXE e SAMBO (FIKBMS). On February 14, 2017 sambo received the official recognition from the Italian Olympic Committee.
— In February 2017 the French Sambo Committee held elections. The president of the French Sambo Committee became Kris Canales.
— In April 2017 Georgi Yousev was elected as a president of the Bulgarian Sambo Federation.
— Also in the Lithuanian Sambo Federation Linas Obscarkas was elected as a president of the federation.
— Since December 2016 Francisco Javier Iglesias Serna has been elected as a president of the Spanish federation of the Olympic wrestling and associated disciplines. Angel Luis Gimenez Bravo became the vice-president of the federation
— At the electoral assembly of the Sambo Federation of Serbia, which was held on December 24, 2016 in the city of Novi Sad, Tatjana Trivic was elected as a new president of the Sambo Federation of Serbia.
Today there are 36 National Sambo Federations in the European Sambo Federation, as well as 3 NSF candidates (Austria, Norway and Sweden).
The President of the European Sambo Federation appreciated the activity of the national sambo federations and thanked the presidents of the European Sambo Federation for their successful work in 2016. He also expressed confidence in the further success of popularization worldwide, especially to:
Roberto, Ferraris President of the Italian Sambo Federation
Marios Andreu, President of the Cyprus Sambo Federation
Jean-Claude Cerutti, member of the Executive Committee of the European Economic Community (France)
After the awarding, the next issue concerning the upcoming competitions and festivals was discussed.
In October 2017 the XIX World Multi-sport Festival for Youth and Students will be held in Sochi (Russia). Young leaders (from 18 to 35 years old) will gather in a great student festival within October 14-22, 2017.
The festival will be attended by 20,000 young people from 150 countries. Sambo applied for participation with a quota of 120 participants. Our type of sport will be represented not only in the framework of the competitions, but also master classes and seminars with demonstration performances will be organized.
During the World Sambo Championship 2018 Sambo will celebrate its 80th anniversary!
Sergey Eliseev suggested that the NSF could dedicate all sports events and festivals in 2018 to mark the 80th anniversary of sambo and widely celebrate this anniversary on November 16.
At the end of his speech, the President of the European Sambo Federation highlighted the main issues to be done in the near future:
— proposal of the European Sambo Federation for changes in weight categories in sambo (this applies primarily to small weight categories among youth and juniors);
— proposals for FIAS to establish the age limit for sports referees;
-proposals (criteria) on sambo recognition in the different countries to the Executive Committee of the European Sambo Federation;
— Each NFS should work on the online broadcasting of The European Sambo Championships among Youth and Juniors and European Sambo Championship among adults in case of the staging of the event in its country.
The European Sambo Championship will be held in the Minsk Sports Palace within May 19-21. Online translation will also be available on the Federation’s website.
The next congress will be held on the eve of the European Sambo Championship 2018 in Athens (Greece).
