Aliaksandr Koksha is one of five world champions due to compete ©Getty Images

Viktor Khmarin has been appointed chair of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) President's Cup Organising Committee, with the tournamnent being held in Saint Petersburg later this month.

Kharmin is general director of RusHydro, a majority state-owned hydroelectric giant in Russia.

FIAS President Vasily Shestakov is also a member of the eight-person Organising Committee, along with European Sambo Federation and All-Russian Sambo Federation chief Sergey Eliseev.

The invitational tournament is due to take place on August 22, with medals on offer in seven men's weight categories.

FIAS President Vasily Shestakov is a member of the eight-person Organising Committee
FIAS President Vasily Shestakov is a member of the eight-person Organising Committee

Eight athletes are due to compete in each category, with $10,000 (£7,000/€8,500) to be awarded to the winners.

Sambists from 21 countries have accepted invitations - Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Croatia, France, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Morocco, Russia, Serbia, Spain, South Korea, Tajikistan, the United States, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.

Among them are five world champions - Russians Sergey Ryabov, Artem Osipenko and Nikita Kletskov, plus Aliaksandr Koksha and Andrei Kazusionak of Belarus.