Cambodia Sambo Federation Officially Established

A foundation congress held in Phnom Penh on July 1 officially established the Cambodia Sambo Federation (CSF). The new federation was immediately granted recognition by the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) – a key step that opens the door for SAMBO to join the country's unified national sports governance system.

The addition of SAMBO to the roster of sports developed under NOCC's umbrella was made possible through the joint efforts of Cambodia's sporting community and the Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania (SUAO). The CSF will operate with SUAO's support, and the union's Technical Director for South East Asia, Maxim Zubachev, has joined the new federation's leadership.

The CSF Executive Committee is now led by:

President: H.E. Dr. Thong Khon, Senior Minister and President of the NOCC.

Vice President: H.E. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and Secretary General of the NOCC.

Secretary General: H.E. Sophoan Buy, Deputy Chief of Cabinet to the Senior Minister and Deputy Secretary General of the NOCC.

Executive Member: Mr Maxim Zubachev, SUAO Technical Director for South East Asia.

“The fact that the new federation's leadership includes the top officials of the NOCC underlines the strong governmental and Olympic-level support SAMBO now enjoys in the country. At the same time, having SUAO's Technical Director on the Executive Committee gives Cambodia a direct link to the region's development structure and access to the continental union's methodological support,” said Suresh Gopi, Secretary General of the Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania.

According to Gopi, the establishment of the CSF expands SAMBO's footprint in South East Asia and builds on the momentum generated by the recent Asia and Oceania SAMBO Championships in Manila, where SUAO, led by President Alamjon Mullaev, identified further regional development as one of its priorities. Cambodia's entry into the family of national SAMBO federations lays the groundwork for training local athletes, referees and coaches, and paves the way for the country's future participation in international SAMBO competitions.