By Andrew Moshanov
FIAS Head of Development
2012-2017
“IOC recognized as new Olympic sports Muai-Thai and Cheerleading. Sambo was victimized due global political intrigues. In the current geopolitical circumstances who would dare to expect anything different? This outcome was quite predictable, but not many wished to face this challenge and pretended this could not happen. Today we have to take this bullet in the chest and deal with the situation, at least for one reason – to be able to give a clear answer all to the new generation of sambo followers : where are we heading to?
We are not welcome in the Olympic family? “Money can’t buy me love”(Beatles), but this is not the end of the world. So what? There are few sports which are sustainable and self-sufficient, e.x. baseball and American football. They are not suffering outside Olympic family at all. Why? Because they are business, they are commercial.
We (Russians) should be truly proud once having introduced to the world the sambo, great sport, great means of fitness and educational vehicle, but it is not possible to promote it further exclusively out of the Russian pocket.
The future of sambo rests with its international commercialisation and professionalisation. At the top of the international sports developmental pyramid we should see a highly profitable business, such UFC, M-1…feeding the base and reinvesting into the youth
It is not that simple to accomplish today, and perhaps it is much more difficult to accomplish today than yesterday. We are trying to catch the runaway train. The truth is that it should be accomplished 10-15 years ago. We should have merged with the industry of professional entertainment and today enjoy the benefits in the form of absolute sustainability of sambo.
One may say: sounds scary (and always sounded scary) Of course. What if they swallowed us? However, to merge with the strongest (more efficient) is not the same to surrender and loose your own identity. As a rule, to merge is to put aside one’s ambitions and limitations and survive. I trust it is still not too late.
At least, this is what my self-preservation instinct tells me.”
Sincerely уours
FIAS Head of Development
2012-2017
Andrew Moshanov
P.S. In our team we have proved Sambo being outstanding base in MMA. To introduce this in Australia, expect Combat Sambo classes commencing in Bully Team Australia from January 2018. Follow us in FB for details.
