Moscow has hosted the third edition of the Russian Sambo Championships for blind and visually impaired

were victories for Aigul Fayzulina and Alesya Stepanyuk in the lightweight women's events, with Alsu

me, as an organiser, to impartially assess the success of the 2019 Sambo for the Blind Championships

I wish to thank Viktor Ignatenko, head coach of the Russian Sambo for the blind team, and Natalya Novikova

, manager of the training process for the Russian Sambo for the blind team, for their operational efficiency

“Special thanks are due to the First Vice-President of the All-Russian Sambo Federation Sergei Baidakov

A blind sambo demonstration held at the World Championships here has been hailed as "really important

" by a member of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS).

This is a great opportunity for visually impaired athletes to have the chance to demonstrate sambo for

this category of people at the World Sambo Championships so that everyone knows sambo is a sport for

An appreciative crowd were treated to a dramatic blind sambo demonstration at the World Sambo Championships

, was among those to attend the meeting, where it was decided to form two blind sambo classes, one for

completely blind athletes and one for visual impairments.The completely blind classification will be

"Photo_gallery"

The men's sambo events have brought fierce competition on the sambo mats ©FIASMen's 74kg top seed Nikolas

combat sambo over 100kg preliminary rounds ©ITGWomen's sambo has proved popular inside the venue ©FIASA

blind sambo demonstration showed that nothing is impossible ©FIASThe blind contest brought wild applause

from the crowds, who showed great appreciation for the talent on display ©FIASVakhtangi Chidrashvili

Martinez, in red, won Spain's second bronze of the World Sambo Championships ©FIAS

Russia began the 2019 International Sambo Federation (FIAS) World Sambo Championships in a similar manner

to how they fared in Bucharest 12 months ago, collecting seven golds on the opening day here.

threat here in Cheongju, but there were no signs of that today.Only Alexsander Nesterov was returning for

Russia as defending champion and he duly obliged in retaining the combat sambo under-57 kilograms world

Nino Odzelashvili from Georgia, the pre-tournament favourite.In a cat and mouse battle for gold, Khomiachkova

it out for 57kg, 74kg and 100kg gold while the combat sambo medals will be presented in the 62kg, 82kg

and over 100kg contests.A blind sambo demonstration will also be held between the end of the preliminary

Russian sambists should not expect to revel in the same successes as 2018, when the International Sambo

Federation (FIAS) World Sambo Championships begin here in Cheongju tomorrow.

Seven-time world champion Artem Osipenko had to settle for bronze in the men's over 100 kilograms contest

arrive to Grand Plaza Hotel in Cheongju to collect their accreditation for the World Sambo Championships

, represented by more than 500 sambists, are poised for action in South Korea.Before that, though, the

the 57kg, 74kg and over-100kg finals.A demonstration of blind sambo will feature on the second day of

 The FIAS World Sambo Championships begin tomorrow and conclude on Sunday.

The Demonstration group on Blind Sambo will put on a performance for their international colleagues here

in Cheongju, as part of the World Sambo Championships.

a joint training session with Ivan Morozov and Alexander Perepelyuk.During the session, blind sambists

their paces ahead of a blind sambo demonstration in Cheongju ©FIASThe World Sambo Championships will

will also be preceded by the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) Congress, to be held tomorrow, at

the Grand Plaza Hotel in Cheongju.The development of blind sambo is high on the agenda for FIAS, and

stage.It was decided to form two blind sambo classes, one for completely blind athletes and one for

The Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) hosted a meeting to discuss the development of blind sambo.

, was among those to attend the meeting.It was decided to form two blind sambo classes, one for completely

blind athletes and one for visual impairments."

These are important steps for the further development of sambo for the blind," said Roman Novikov, who

works with blind athletes for both the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) and the All Russian Sambo

the international classification of sambo for the blind will be continued in cooperation with FIAS."

Visually impaired and blind sambists took part in a screening process in Kyrgyzstan as part of a scientific

project to develop the sport.

"Overcoming – International Movement of Sambo for the Blind" project.A training session followed the

of Sambo for the Blind as part of the International Sambo Federation Commission on Athletes with Disabilities

Sambo for the Blind is ongoing and added that an "Overcoming" sambo tournament is planned to take place

We discussed in detail the further development of sambo for the blind athletes in Kyrgyzstan with members

 "We also discussed an important issue of international sambo starts for the blind and the specific

Footage has been shot for a documentary on blind sambo.

The film "Through the Dark" is being directed by Vadim Arapov with material collected at the Russian

Sambo Federation's Championships for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Sochi.In addition to the competitions

, a demonstration performance of sambo for the blind took place at the Championships.A trailer for the

blind wrestler," said Roman Novikov, a member of the International Sambo Federation Commission for the

Promotion of Sambo among the Disabled.

The International Sambo Federation has welcomed the opening of a new facility for visually impaired athletes

in the Russian capital.There are big plans for the venue which has been tipped to become the main facility

 for international seminars on blind sambo.An Opening Ceremony was attended by sambists from various

Having our own gym for practicing sambo allows us to work more effectively, carry out the necessary tests

impairment," said blind sambo training process administrator Natalia Novikova."

The results of this work should form the basis for the international rules of sambo for the blind."

Roman Novikov, a member of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) Commission for the Promotion of

Sambo among the Disabled, has said the organisation are looking to establish a training model of the

sport for visually impaired and blind children.

already has an officially adapted version of the sport for visually impaired athletes, and appealed

Over the years, I've been trying to develop sambo for the visually impaired," he said."

Now we are trying to propagate sambo for visually impaired children by attracting boarding school students

held a tournament for visually impaired boys and girls in December ©FIAS"Regrettably, the practice of

and, at this point, enthusiasm for sports along with the caring attitude of a coach could play a decisive

The first sambo tournament for visually impaired boys and girls has been held in Laishevo.

The world's first sambo tournament among visually impaired boys and girls has met the highest organisational

standards," said Roman Novikov, the head of the Commission for promotion of sambo among the visually

impaired and blind at the Russian Sambo Federation.Viktor Ignatenko, the vice-president of the Moscow

Federation of Sambo, acted as chief referee of the tournament.Boys and girls took part in Laishevo ©

Support of local authorities is crucial in carrying out such socially significant sport events for visually

The first Russian Sambo Championship among the blind is due to be held in Moscow from May 20 to 21, it

the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering.Medals will be competed for in a total of 18 categories

head of the commission for sportspeople with limited health capacities in All-Russian Sambo Federation

Loss of vision is not an obstacle for using all means of sambo technique."

A club for visually impaired and blind sambists was recently opened in Russian city Tyumen ©FIASPreliminary

vision during bouts.A club for visually impaired and blind sambists was recently opened in Russian city

Helmets which can be used in visually impaired sambo competitions were put through their paces at an

of the All-Russian Sports Federation of the Blind, said: "I believe that blind and visually impaired

position compared to the totally blind."

Blind sambo has taken place in Russian city Tyumen ©FIASVisually impaired sambo fighter Anatoly Kropalev

For example, if a totally blind man wants to make me a front step, I see it and walk away from it."

 A club for visually impaired and blind sambists has been opened in Russian city Tyumen. 

I must admit, I’ve completely lost count of the number of times I’ve heard the Russian national anthem

being played across the four sambo events I’ve covered for insidethegames over the past six months

the most satisfying performance from the perspective of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) will

Russia dominated the World Sambo Championships but a lot of other countries left their stamp on the event

are good for FIAS if the two bodies can settle their differences. 

about the applications and we hope that sambo will be one to be recognised."

will take the coveted step, but whether that’s blind optimism still remains to be seen.What is for sure