The Japan Junior Sambo Federation has introduced the sport to around 300 high school students during a junior wrestling camp at the Saitama Super Arena ©Japan Junior Sambo Federation

The Japan Junior Sambo Federation has introduced the sport to around 300 high school students during a junior wrestling camp at the Saitama Super Arena.

Proceedings were directed by Eri Fujii along with Takeo Suzuki, a former Japanese national sambo champion in the men’s 57 kilograms category.

They explained sambo’s rules and techniques to the participants.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, an Honorary President of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS), recently visited the Kodokan Martial Arts Centre in Japan where he watched a number of exhibition performances.

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the development of sambo in Japan on a recent visit to the country ©FIAS
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the development of sambo in Japan on a recent visit to the country ©FIAS

During the visit, he spoke with Yasuhiro Yamashita, the vice-president of the All-Japan Judo Federation and an Olympic judo champion, as well as Nobuyuki Asai, the vice-president of the Japan Sambo Federation and a member of the FIAS Executive Committee.

Putin had the opportunity to discuss the development of the sport in Japan with Asai.

Sambo is a martial art and combat sport, developed and used by the Soviet Red Army in the early 1920s to improve their hand-to-hand combat abilities.

It is continuing to seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee after being overlooked in favour of muay thai and cheerleading during last month's Executive Board meeting.