Sergey Eliseev has been re-elected as President of the All-Russian Sambo Federation at an uncertain time for the sport ©FIAS

Sergey Eliseev has been re-elected as President of the All-Russian Sambo Federation (VFS).

The 58-year-old was elected unanimously for his sixth term having first taken charge in 2002.

Roman Bolotsky was re-elected as general secretary of the VFS, and 12 vice-presidents of the organisation were also re-elected for a new term.

Eliseev, also President of the European Sambo Federation since 2004 and vice-president of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS), faces unprecedented challenges after his latest re-election.

FIAS last week suspended all competitions in Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine.

The All-Russian Sambo Federation is facing unprecedented challenges following their country's invasion of Ukraine ©VFS
The All-Russian Sambo Federation is facing unprecedented challenges following their country's invasion of Ukraine ©VFS

They have also banned competitors from those countries competing under their own flags, although, unlike many other International Federations, stopped short of banning them completely.

FIAS claimed that allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions under its flag was "an additional measure to ensure peace and solidarity within the international sambo community."

Among the sambo competitions set to be impacted by the decision to move events away from Russia and Belarus are the World Super Cup Memorial to the Sambo Founders, due to be held in Moscow later this month, and the European Championships, scheduled to take place in Yekaterinburg in May.