The key facts

  • Vasily Shestakov stated that sambo could be included in the Olympic Games program
  • According to him, sambo ranks 13th among recognized sports
  • The number of countries at world championships grew from 47 to 101 during his tenure

Sambo is seeking Olympic status

President of the International Sambo Federation Vasily Shestakov stated that sambo could become an Olympic sport. The federation head's remarks are reported by a Gazeta.Ru correspondent [source-1]. According to him, the organization 'has every chance' of becoming a candidate for inclusion in the Olympic program, since sambo is a popular sport.

Hopes pinned on the reforms of the new IOC president

Shestakov linked the federation's hopes to the change of leadership at the International Olympic Committee: 'Now a new president of the International Olympic Committee has come in — Mrs. Coventry — and the principles of participation in the Olympic Games are being revised.' He expressed hope that the new principles would allow less popular sports to be removed and new, more popular ones to be added. As of today, Shestakov noted, sambo ranks 13th among recognized sports.

Growing popularity: from 47 to 101 countries

The federation president cited the dynamics of participation in world championships: at the start of his tenure, 47 countries took part in the tournament, and now there are 101. He also recalled how representatives of Bulgaria, at the beginning of his work, declared that they were taking part in the world championship for the last time, since they saw no prospects, but, according to Shestakov, he managed to convince them. '101 countries at the world championship is the result of our joint work, of representatives of all countries from all continents. Sambo is truly a family,' Gazeta.Ru quotes him as saying.