CISM signs MoU with International Sambo Federation

BUCHAREST (ROU) – In the framework of the World Sambo Championships held in Bucharest, Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Borghino, CISM Board of Directors Member and President of the CISM Sports Commission, signed a cooperation agreement – Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of CISM with the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) represented by its President Vasily Shestakov and Secretary General Roberto Ferraris.

Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Borghino declared: "We are strongly convinced that the agreement we sign today is the start of a long journey, a challenge that will grant mutual benefits and joint advantages, improving the quality and level of excellence of our athletes and partners". He also added: "Some characteristics of SAMBO are important not only for the military athletes, but also for the military training: SAMBO is a combat sport that develops physical and psychological attributes such as courage, discipline and strategy".

“This is a very important day for us, in the future our sport can be represented in the world military championships. To do this, we must organize a series of test tournaments and show our sport”, Vasily Shestakov said.

“SAMBO is an applied sport, necessary for servicemen like air: its techniques allow winning not only in the UFC, they help to neutralize an opponent, to deliver preventive strikes. It is no coincidence that one of the first decrees of the Marshal of Victory, Georgiy Zhukov, was a decree introducing daily 45-minute SAMBO classes in the troops”, Shestakov emphasized.

The MoU aims to develop training and competition amongst the professional or amateur military sportsmen, establish true synergies in the sports fields between both institutions; identify shared goals and objectives between CISM and FIAS, set up joint educational initiatives to protect Sambo against the dangers of doping, establish collaboration in the area of International Technical Officials and promote the values of sport and Sambo.

The elaboration of the document and the negotiations for its accomplishment were finalized by Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Soares Pinheiro da Cunha (BRA).

Initiatives of this nature aims to promote the development of the civilian-military relationship, increase the network of partnerships and allow the insertion of military sport and CISM within similar civilian institutions, generating positive effects throughout military sports structure all over the world.

(Source: FIAS / CISM)