The awards take into consideration nominations for the 2022 to 2023 season and sees the Center triumph over more than 300 other submissions from 56 regions of Russia in the domestic event.

The seven-story complex was built last September and exceeds 45,000 square metres.

"The development of martial arts in Russia [is essential]," said International Sambo Federation executive director Tabakov Sergey Evgenievich.

"New projects of martial arts palaces."

The facility boasts a competition hall with three mats and a seating capacity of 1,600.

It also features a multi-purpose weight room, a multi-sport hall, a swimming pool, saunas, a medical centre, conference hall, and sambo museum.

The first tournament held there was the Combat Sambo League Star Cup which was attended by athletes from Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The museum displays exhibitions detailing the history of sambo from the 1920s, throughout the Second World War, and up to present day.

The Center has a sloping glass ceiling that produces an optical effect allowing people on the street to be able to watch the sporting action taking place inside.

"There is a special ceiling. Here the guys train and from there you can watch them," said Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

"A unique story, invented by our Russian architects. 

"The story is not easy, but we decided to do it beautifully." 

Sobyanin accompanied Russian President Vladimir Putin to the official opening of the venue last year.

The honour was presented at the Expo and Forum's All-Russian Sport Facilities Awards which were established in 2014.

It featured leading figures from sporting bodies, managers of sporting venues, and heads of sports schools and clubs.

Following the event, participants from across Russia visited the International Sambo Center.