Vasiliy Shestakov was re-elected President of the International Sambo Federation

The Congress of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) took place in St. Petersburg on October 5.  A record number of countries took part. Two hundred and seven delegates from ninety National Sambo Federations, representing five continents were present.

A Welcoming speech was delivered by Andrey Selivanov, Deputy Executive Director of the Russian Olympic Committee. He addressed the meeting on behalf of the Russian Olympic Committee. 

The first item on the Congress agenda was the enlargement of the big world Sambo family. A vote was taken. As a result of the vote nine National Sambo Federations joined the FIAS – the federations of Czech Republic, Hungary, Nicaragua, USA, Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Seychelles and Singapore.   The American Amateur Sambo Federation and Taiwan Sambo Federation were eliminated from the FIAS for non-implementation of regulations and multiple administrative violations

After having solved the organizational questions the members of the Congress elected the FIAS Board of Directors. Vasily Shestakov was nominated for the Presidency. His nomination was supported by vast majority of delegates.

“The World Sambo has many ambitious plans. We  want Sambo to be included  in the Olympic Program. The representatives of the Russian Olympic Committee and of SportAccord as well as the head of the Ministry of Sport of St. Petersburg were present at the Congress in St. Petersburg. It’s obvious that Sambo arouses interest – our sport has got great potential”, – said the re-elected FIAS President.

The new FIAS Board of Directors is as follows:

• Roberto Ferraris , Secretary General 
• Andrey Klyamko, First Vice-Secretary
• Sergey Eliseev, Vice-President
• Almadjon Mullaev, Vice-President
• Dalil Skalli, Vice-President
• Cesar Chu, Vice-President

Seventeen members of the FIAS Executive Committee were elected. The number of members hasn’t changed, but the personal composition of the newly elected Executive Committee  has changed. For the first time in the history of Sambo 2 Ladies joined the Executive Committee – Svetlana Sokolik-Neubauer, the President of the Austrian Sambo Federation,  and Monique Atanaz, the head of the Sambo Federation of Seychelles. Viktor Semyonov, the Head of the FIAS Athletes’ Commission, a famous Ukrainian Sambo wrestler and a 7-time World champion has also joined the Executive Committee for the first time.

Within the framework of the Congress the Delegates approved and adopted unanimously the FIAS Code of Ethics, the amendments to the FIAS Regulations and the FIAS Calendar of competitions for 2014.