BELT WRESTLING

Belt Wrestling

I have copied this from Vadim's Kolganov Facebook page if any of you are interested in this exciting sport contact him direct

Khristina Narizhnaya / MT

Belt wrestlers taking part in a Gainanova-sponsored competition in Podolsk outside Moscow on Saturday.

PODOLSK, Moscow Region — Taking a quirky Central Asian sport to the Olympics is no easy task. 

But the newly elected president of the remade International Belt Wrestling Association plans to honor her late husband's legacy and do just that. 

"Athletes need support," said Lyudmila Gainanova, a delicate blonde. Then, quoting the children's novel "The Little Prince," she added, "We answer for those we have tamed." 

Since Gainanova was elected president in February, she has been working non-stop to revitalize the association, organize competitions, market the sport and attract financing. 

Gainanova is the association's sole sponsor and pays 1 million to 1.5 million rubles ($36,000 to $54,000) per competition, out of her own pocket. There needs to be at least eight competitions per year to get the sport off the ground, plus other expenses in between, Gainanova said.

Plans to develop the sport include broadcasting matches on television and the Internet and using profits from a brick factory, which is still under construction in the Tatarstan republic, to support the association.

The sport needs to grow before it can join the Olympic family, director of the Russian Olympic Committee Marat Bariyev said. 

"It needs to be very popular, for the audience, for young people," Bariyev said. 

That is where the association comes in. "Without the association, the sport simply won't develop," Bariyev said.

Over the weekend, Gainanova invited sports marketing professionals from Israel to the year's first competition to assess belt wrestling's Olympic prospects and get advice on improving its prominence.

There is a lot of potential because of quick action and the passion exhibited for the sport, said Mylan Tanzer, owner of Israel-based sports communications firm Spark Media. 

Indeed, spectators are kept on their toes as they watch two opponents grip each other by red belts as each tries to wrestle the other to the ground. Often violent flips and loud grunts embellish the matches, which last anywhere from several seconds to four minutes. Both men and women compete. 

The growing interest in wrestling and mixed martial arts sports worldwide adds to belt wrestling's Olympic potential, Tanzer said. Ultimate Fighting Championship is now broadcast on cable sports network ESPN, for example. 

Belt wrestling is more than 2,000 years old. It originated during harvest festivities in Tatar and Central Asian villages. Over the years, belt wrestling nations, such as Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, formed their own federations for the sport. The All-Russian Belt Wrestling Federation was formed in 2003.

In 2005, Rif Gainanov, a Greco-Roman wrestling champion, founded the International Belt Wrestling Association, uniting all federations and establishing a set of rules and standards for the sport. 

The association flourished for four years, attracting members from Africa, the Middle East and Europe, and even securing a spot in the 2013 Universiade, a worldwide sport event where university athletes compete. After Gainanov died in 2009, the sport went into decline and the association suffered internal tensions and financial malfeasance. 

Since the beginning of this year, the association has changed administration, re-registered with the Justice Ministry and is developing a new web site. 

For now the association and its members must work to help the sport form a fan base, said Serob Andreasyan, president of the Armenian Belt Wrestling Federation.

"If a big house has a small foundation, the building will collapse," Andreasyan said. "But if a house has a foundation like this," Andreasyan spread his arms wide, "it will never fall."

JUDO/SOMBO COURSE in AUGUST

The course will cover the complete competitive & theory content required for gradings Cost: £30.00 plus £10.00 grading fee for kyu grades, and relevant fee for dan grades. This course is also counts as a revalidation for all judo and sombo coaches.

Closing date 10th. August, send all fees and entry to:

John Clarke, 118 East Street, Sittingbourne ME10 4RX (Tel: 07825 224940)

Moving Forward

British Sombo Continues Moving Forward

The BSF continues to organise event through out England, Scotland and Northern Ireland several Courses and Competitions have been organised already this Year and many new contacts have been made with various organisations and possible sponsors. It is hope that the BSF will be able to fund 10 competitors for the World Championships in St Petersburg Russia in November. To gain a place you will need to enter the British at the end of June in Bedford. With respect to the British there is some good news and some bad news? Bad news World Bronze Medallist Matthew Clempner will not be competing, as he needs to concentrate on his no 1 position in the British Judo Squad, I am sure you will all agree he must be a potential medal prospect for the next Olympics and we all wish him the best of luck. Good News with out Matthew the O 100 kilo class is now up for grabs, so you super heavy weights get your entries in.

John and Colin will be organising a 2 day Summer Camp in Sittingbourne during August, Robin has his Scottish Open to come in July, Colin has competition organised for September in Folkestone, Keith has a comp organised in Sittingbourne in Early November and Russell has one for December in Bedford. January 2014 we a preparing a Black tie presentation Dinner more of this to follow.

With out your Support none of this can happen

BSF President Insulted at Prestigious Dinner in Westminster

                                                          MY TRIP TO LONDON

 By BSF President Robin Hyslop

Robin & Prince Michael of Kent

As President of the British Sombo Federation I was invited to a £3,000 a head meal and auction in London, which organised by FIAS President Mr Shestakov his British Co-ordinator was another Russian Living in England  Andrew Moshanov. The event was to celebrate 75 year of Sambo, the Russian President Putin supported this event so money could be raised to FIAS Sports Programme in Great Britain obviously a way to harmonise the détente with the British and Russian Governments. The event was held in the luxurious surroundings of Westminster and the auction was a great success with Thousands of pounds being raised although one wonders what will happen with the money?

I was given instructions to meet at a hotel close to where the event was taking place at 4.30pm, I was introduced to some new faces involved in the Sambo world. Just after 6.00pm there was a cavalcade of 10 black c500 Mercedes cars which all the guests would use to get to Kensington Palace, after most of the guests were on their way I had to ask as to when any cars would be coming back, in typical Russian fashion I was told “I don’t Know” after half an hour I had to explain that I was the President of British Sambo! By this time some of the others had phoned me to see if they were getting a car sent for them, confusing as it seems I managed to get a couple of cars to come back for me and then to pick up the others, we arrived at the palace as the demonstration of Sambo was about to begin, Champagne was being served.

Note the Word Amateur is starting to be dropped

Among the guests were mining Billionare Alexi Mordashov, Iron ore magnet Andrei Klyamko, President of Russian Rail Vladimir Yakunin, Olympic Gold medallist Tessa Sanderson, City broker Tim Lewin and Tory MP Elanor Laing o to name a few.

Tessa& Robin

There was a very good demonstration of Sambo by World and European Champions flown over for the occasions, I would have thought that the organiser would have shown the demonstration in the correct attire and why did they not use British Samboist quite  an insult to the BSF , the first of many. Next there was a special presentation for the British people who were pioneers of Sambo in GB they were Matthew Clempner, Richard Barrowclough World Bronze 1973/74 , Richard Kenny, Steve Pullen World Bronze 1966, John Lawrence World Bronze 1974 . Most of you who have done Sambo or Sombo as we call it in GB will never have heard of these people but they are well respected Judoka, who for a few years in the mid 1970’s organised a few CAMBO events for the British Wrestling Association. The BWA used the word CAMBO rather then the racist word SAMBO. By the end of the 1970’s Cambo/Sombo/Sambo had died. Interesting enough two other people were missing from this honours list one was Rob Paine who organised most of the events and brought in the first Sombo Jackets and Martin Clarke who like Matthew Clempner was a regular competitor at these events. These people had the good fortune to have all their accommodation, travel and courtesy car to the venue paid for by the event co-ordinator. As President of the British Sombo I received nothing and was told I was not entitled to a courtesy car yet another insult to the BSF. Interestingly FIAS, which was formulated in 1985 with the exception of Matthew Clempner none of those presented with awards, have never been members of an organisation belonging to FIAS and have done nothing for Sombo (Sambo) since the late 1970’s? Considering the event was organised by FIAS and some other organisation calling themselves the Commonwealth Sambo Federation I would have thought they would have at least honoured those Brits who have promoted FIAS

 

FIAS Officials

In fact let’s actually look at who and what has sustained British Sombo, first it was Burt Jacobs Chairman of the British Wrestling Association and leading member of Federation International Luttes Association FILA, in 1985 the World Games was to be held in London and Sambo/Sombo was included in the programme which the BWA were responsible for. As the BWA had no one interested Burt contacted Martin Clarke to organise a Team, which he did. As player manager he won Silver but more importantly the team he selected won all told 7 medals, 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 5 Bronzes and three 4^th places. The best British Team result in the history of British Sombo. In 1986 the BWA gave permission to annex them from British Wrestling and so Martin Clarke formed the British Sombo Federation. On that at original committee Martin his wife and Alan Kontozi are still actively involved that’s a period of 27 years service.

I became involved in 1989 and have organised many tournaments and attended countless World Championships all at my own expense, who else has done the same?

Since 1986 the BSF have sent a team to every World Championships the BSF has won 35 World Medals in that period stretching all classes Men/ Women/Junior/Cadet. It has organised 22 British Opens 10 English Opens and 10 Scottish Opens. It organised the European Championships 1989 and World Championships 1992 in Herne Bay under the leadership of Martin Clarke. At the World Championships St Petersburg Russia in 2008 I was awarded a Silver medal for Services to Sambo, Colin Carrott, Paul Sawyer and John Clarke were awarded the Bronze Service award, Martin Clarke was awarded the Gold Medal plus he was awarded the FIAS Sambo Star for being one of the 8 most influential people in the World of Sambo this coupled with being the only FIAS Sambo GrandMaster in the UK makes him unique.

Martin with help from myself and the BSF EC have kept Sombo/Sambo going in the UK and for the UK Governing Body to be treated in such a way and so disrespectfully is a disgrace.

Comments From BSF Chairman Martin Clarke

For sometime now I have been ostracised by the new FIAS Regime because of my outspoken comments on its organisation. So it came as no surprise that Robin, as BSF President would be invited to this fund raising and no one else from the BSF. Yet it comes as shock the way he has been treated by FIAS Staff employees. The awards given to the Judo men who dabbled in Sombo for a few years in the mid 1970’s again came as no surprise especially as we were informed in advance it was meant to be a rather childish snub to all the work the BSF has put into Sombo since 1986. FIAS Employee Andrew Moshanov selected the Judoka who are well respected in GB. Moshanov is no friend to British Sombo and was highly unlikely to recommend any one from the British Sombo Federation and as he has only been involved Sombo and FIAS since November 2011, he would have no idea of the history of the Sport in GB and most probably struggles with the concept of a Constituted Amateur Body so revered in Great Britain. I am sure the FIAS President Shestokov would not have been so petty minded but again as he has only been involved with FIAS since 2009 he also may not be aware of the various countries histories and involvement with FIAS having to rely on correct information from his employees, which is sadly lacking.      

As the Chairman of the BSF I have to put the interest of British Sombo Players first before my own feelings this I have done and in the last few months I have had discussion with Lord Simon Reading President Commonwealth Sambo Association (on Robins invitation it said Commonwealth Sambo Federation this was a mistake), Kerrith Brown Chairman British Judo Association plus 2 potential Sponsors.                  

Putin's Pals in Palace punch-up

It seems the Daily Mail has realised that there was more to the Sambo Fund raiser at Kensington Palace then what we were told here is an article that appeared in the Daily Mail on Tuesday

At an official level, relations between Britain and Russia are barely above deep freeze. Suspicions over the deaths of dissident Alexander Litvinenko and oligarch Boris Berezovsky together with disagreements over Syria have tested diplomacy.

But in a gilded outpost of West London, a one-man charm offensive has been under way this week to bring Russia in from the cold.

It came when nearly 100 of President Vladimir Putin’s most trusted confidants sat down to a £3,000-a head dinner.

The venue was Kensington Palace and the host, Prince Michael of Kent, is an unashamed Russo-phile whose uncanny resemblance to the murdered Tsar Nicholas has made him something of a pin-up in the former Soviet Union.

The dinner was ostensibly to promote Putin’s favourite combat sport, the Russian martial art of Sambo, which he wants to have Olympic status.

But it was clearly viewed by attendees as part of a new initiative to improve Anglo-Russian relations. Guests included some of the richest men in the world. All Russians, of course.

There was mining billionaire Alexei Mordashov, iron-ore magnate Andrei Klyamko, plus Vladimir Yakunin, President of the Russian railways and Putin’s long-time friend and judo guru, Vasily Shestakov. ‘So many Russians came that several people had to be disinvited,’ I am told.

The Marquess of Reading, who helped organise the black-tie evening, tells me: ‘People from the Duma were there, from industry and from all walks of life.’

There were also two Russian Sambo champions, who gave a demonstration in the Palace gardens, kicking, punching and wrestling — curiously, dressed, like everyone else, in black tie.

A letter from Putin was read out in which he expressed support of the Prince, of whom he is a great fan, but also because he personally likes David Cameron, I am told.

The few Britons at the event included Olympic gold medallist Tessa Sanderson, City broker Tim Lewin and Tory MP  Eleanor Laing.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2339985/RICHARD-KAY-Putins-pals-Palace-punch-up.html#ixzz2W0g3Cpr5

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More on the history of FIAS

An article was put on Facebook about USA Sombo




I cannot make comment on the internal affairs of US Sombo but I must put some fact right. In 1993 an AGM of FIAS was held in Russia this was a non election years. The Eastern Block Countries who had just gained their independence from Communism decided that the residing President Josh Henson would no longer be FIAS President; Mr. Tichormirov led this coup it was totally unconstitutional and led to two organisation’s claiming to be FIAS. The legitimate one led by Josh Henson came known as FIAS West and the other one became FIAS East. Yet History has told us not always do the Just win and Might overcome Right, this is what happened with FIAS West and Josh Henson was a very sad period of FIAS History. The man who rescued FIAS was David Rudman when he became FIAS President, it was he who reunited all the different factions and we all became one FIAS again, he also brought in many more countries plus he recognised that if Sambo/Sombo was to become a World Wide Sport it needed to be more inclusive and not a Russian dominated sport. The British Sombo Federation under my leaderships kept a representative in both camps I stood with FIAS West Brenda Jones represented us with FIAS East. Although I totally agreed with FIAS West I also realized that the quality of competition and standard of fighters would be far better in FIAS East and it would be wrong for the BSF to deprive our players of that type of competition. Inevitably FIAS West collapsed but it still left many outside FIAS and it was David Rudman who got them together. I can remember the telephone call he made to me, saying he want myself and Josh back supporting FIAS and International Sambo as with us back many others would return, he even came over to visit us at the British Open. Not since Josh Henson and Fernando Compte (Founder of FIAS) has this happened. I returned to FIAS, Josh decided to take Sombo back as a FILA discipline this he did for a couple of years with a FILA version of a World Championship held in Turkey but eventually it was removed from FILA.

In 2009 the FIAS Annual Congress was held in Greece and it was election Year and here were three candidates for President. One was a new man someone no one had heard of, this gentleman  was Mr. Shestakov. He was a member of the Russian Parliament and a personal friend of the Russian President Mr. Putin so a very powerful man. Just before the election there was a recess after the recess two of the candidates withdrew from the election, leaving Mr. Shestakov as the New President! My own thoughts were how can a man who had no dealings with FIAS or Sambo become President and knew my old friend Fernando Compte the founder of FIAS had the same thoughts. Yet he promised millions of Dollars of support and extra support for developing countries and countries like GB who received no funding. So we all thought great and he most probably he will only be figure head. Yes the funding did come but seems to be spent on more and more staff who attend elaborate meetings all over the World and employing a Russian from GB to travel the World disrupting and causing havoc where ever he goes, well that is what various reports are telling us.

I am still not convinced that President Shestakov is responsible for all the problems FIAS has but members of his staff are and they are the one advising him to ignore the Constitution. Now the latest rumor is that FIAS will soon become a Corporate business will lead to a lot of people having a rethink of what they want from World Wide Sambo a corporation can bring lots of money to various countries so the choice is Money and Power or Democratic Organisation run by the members for the members. You can guess as an Englishman what I would vote for.

Martin Clarke