SAMBO exhibition opens at Moscow Railway Station in Saint Petersburg ahead of 50th World SAMBO Championships

The International SAMBO Federation (FIAS) has launched the exhibition “SAMBO – Russia’s National Treasure”. The opening ceremony took place on October 21 at the historic Moscow Railway Station in Saint Petersburg.

The project is timed to coincide with two landmark events: the historic 50th World SAMBO Championships, set to take place in Tashkent on November 6–8, and the 90th anniversary of SAMBO, which will be celebrated in 2028. The exhibition is the first joint project between FIAS and the SAMBO History Museum, officially established in October at the International SAMBO Center in Moscow.

“We are holding this exhibition in Saint Petersburg, a city where SAMBO is especially loved, so that everyone can discover the history of our national sport,” said FIAS President Vasily Shestakov. In his words, Saint Petersburg can rightfully be called one of the capitals of SAMBO.

The opening ceremony was attended by:

Vasily Shestakov, FIAS President;

Denis Goltsov, Honored Master of Sport of Russia, two-time World and European Combat SAMBO champion, and PFL Grand Prix championship belt holder;

Ruslan Gasymov, Honored Master of Sport of Russia, World and European SAMBO champion;

Igor Lobko, Deputy Head of the October Railway for Government Relations;

Sergey Ryazantsev, Deputy Head of the North-Western Regional Directorate of Railway Stations;

Boris Vasiliev, Head of the Saint Petersburg division of the Lokomotiv Sports Society.

Speaking at the ceremony, Shestakov recalled that SAMBO’s official birthday is November 16, 1938. Today, the sport is practiced in more than 140 countries and brings together millions of people.

“Our goal is for every resident and visitor of the Northern Capital to be able to trace the journey of SAMBO from its origins in the USSR to its status as a global sport,” he said. “Behind that number, there are always people: coaches and athletes, veterans and those just taking their first steps on the mat. They speak different languages in different countries, yet they understand each other perfectly, because they share one history and one set of values.”

The FIAS President also recalled the SAMBO motto: “SAMBO is family, family is strength, strength is peace!” According to him, the organizers want every visitor to take away the idea of generational continuity, mutual support and unity.

Shestakov also invited all combat sports fans to the 50th World SAMBO Championships in Tashkent. The tournament’s guests of honor will be SAMBO ambassadors Islam Makhachev and Fedor Emelianenko. Makhachev is a Combat SAMBO world champion and the reigning UFC welterweight champion. Emelianenko is a four-time Combat SAMBO world champion and a mixed martial arts legend.

“These great athletes, like millions of SAMBO practitioners around the world, prove by their example every day: ‘On the mat, we are rivals; off the mat, we are friends!’” Shestakov noted.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is a historical and documentary section tracing SAMBO’s path from its beginnings in the USSR to its position as one of the fastest-growing combat sports in the world. The organizers have placed particular emphasis on the role of SAMBO in building strength of character and passing the sport on from one generation to the next. The project is educational in nature and aims to introduce a wide audience to Russia’s sporting traditions.

The exhibition is open to visitors and Saint Petersburg residents from October 20 to November 20.