A. Kharlampiev Memorial World Cup Stage - for the Media

On March 21, in the press-center of RIA Novosti, there was a press conference dealing with the oncoming SAMBO World Cup Stage "A. Kharlampiev Memorial". The World Cup that consists of four Stages starting from this year is one of the main events in the sports calendar for the sambists of the world. The first Stage that has already brought the starting points of the Cup classification was held in the end of January in Uralsk, Kazakhstan. Moscow will host the second Stage; after that, the sambists will fight for the right to top the Cup classification at A. Astakhov Memorial (Karakas, Venezuela, June 28 - July 1) and at the World Cup Stage for the awards of A. Aslakhanov (Russia, October 5-8). "Moscow is quite ready to host the oncoming World Cup Stage", - with these words the President of Moscow SAMBO Federation and the Prefect of Central Administrative District of Moscow Sergey Baidakov opened the press conference. Sergey Baidakov is the Head of the Organization Committee of the Tournament and knows everything about the preparation of the Moscow Stage. "The tournament will be held in Moscow for the 33rd time; its traditional venue since 1980 is DRUZHBA (Friendship) Universal Sports Hall which will accept the strongest sambists of the world this time, 28 countries are going to take part in the tournament; yesterday we received a confirmation of their arrival in Moscow from one more SAMBO team (England). The program of the event includes traditional flower-laying ceremony at the grave of A.A. Kharlampiev at Novodevichy Cemetery. We are also planning to honor SAMBO veterans, and to award children's clubs with gift certificates (mainly those for children with disabilities). We hope there will be strong competition among the athletes and keen audience interest for the tournament", - commented Sergey Baidakov on the oncoming sports event. FIAS President Vasily Shestakov noted: "As you know, FIAS will, regarding the results of 4 Stages and on the basis of the rating, determine the champions and prize winners in each weight category among men and women who will share the prize fund of the World Cup. The International SAMBO Federation has also prepared special prizes for the nominees in the following categories: the best male and female athletes, the best journalist, and the best photographer highlighting SAMBO events. In this regard, I would like to address you, our dear journalists, and urge you to support SAMBO and include it in the scope of your professional interest. I am sure that SAMBO is a dynamic, spectacular and rapidly developing sport. It deserves being a part of Olympic program; there are good chances that FIAS becomes a temporarily recognized member of International Olympic Committee by the end of the year". The further dialogue between the Media and the SAMBO focused on the development of this sport. The President of the All-Russia and European SAMBO Federation Sergey Yeliseev emphasized the importance of physical education of youth with the use of SAMBO which has been included in the physical education program of several Moscow schools". Vasily Shestakov summed up the results of the discussion on development of SAMBO in the world: "SAMBO is a part of Russian culture; our task is to introduce it not only in the school program, but also in the system of physical training of uniformed services, and to make it an important part of student sports system as I think that the educational value of SAMBO is very high". In the end of the press conference, Dmitry Kletskov, Champion of Russia 2012 and the leader of Russian SAMBO team in the weight category of 68 kg, returned to the topic of the oncoming tournament: "We are expecting hot contest at the World Cup. The competition in SAMBO is very tough now. In my weight category, there are many strong athletes in the entry list", - he named the favorites of the tournament in the 68 kg category and concluded: "And I, of course". This "I" sounded very naturally in Dmitry's mouth as millions of I's choosing SAMBO make up our large SAMBO family held together by our favorite sport.