Artem Osipenko opens the project on members of the FIAS Athletes’ Commission

The International SAMBO Federation (FIAS) is launching a series of video interviews with members of the FIAS Athletes’ Commission. The participants talk about themselves and their work to promote and develop SAMBO.

The first to appear in the series is Artem Osipenko (Russia), a ten-time World SAMBO Champion, two-time European champion and multiple World Cup winner. He has represented the Russian national team on the international stage for many years and knows well what success is made of.

In Artem’s view, SAMBO is not a sport for lone individuals. Every victory is the result of a whole team’s work: mentors, coaches and older teammates. He gives a special role to the coach, whom he calls a second father: “He takes a little boy and raises a grown man.”

The skill Osipenko himself has mastered is the work of an entire generation of SAMBO athletes who competed before him. Now, he says, it is up to today’s athletes to pass that knowledge on to children so that new world champions can emerge. And Artem himself still dreams of competing and continuing to fight on the mat.

The first episode is now available to watch. Stay tuned for new videos in the series.

[VIDEO] Artem Osipenko: “SAMBO is not a sport for lone individuals”