The "Sambo to School" scheme - previously rolled out across Russia and praised by Sergei Eliseev, President of the All-Russian and European Sambo Federations - now has a footing in Cyprus.

Students at Academy Gnosis, a Russian-language school in capital Nicosia, are formally learning the basics of the sport as part of the Sambo to School project.

Cypriot Sambo Federation President Marios Andreus hopes that other schools will join, with the national governing body not able to conduct roaming introductory sessions like it once could because of the coronavirus crisis.

"During the pandemic, all halls, with the exception of the school ones, are closed," Andreus said.

"In one of the opened educational institutions, we decided to start classes in a project format.

"Of course, we would like to come closer to the Russian experience in the future."

In Russia, in excess of 800 schools have taken part in the Sambo to School scheme.

"I believe that the Sambo to School project is very promising for the popularisation of this sport," Andreus added.

"Many children stay at school after school, waiting for their parents, this is the time they can spend on the sambist carpet, and in the future, perhaps, join the ranks of professional athletes."

Simon Garaklov and Dimitrios Karipidis both represented Cyprus at the 2020 World Sambo Championships.

The country had been due to stage the World Beach Sambo Championships in Larnaca last April, but the COVID-19 crisis caused the cancellation of the event.