Section 1: Introduction

Sambo is a Russian/Soviet-developed martial art and combat sport ("Sambo" = "SAMozashchita Bez Oruzhiya" — "self-defense without weapons"), combining judo-style throws with groundwork and joint-locks. FIAS (International Sambo Federation) is the IOC-recognized international governing body since 2021 — a major milestone toward potential future Olympic medal-sport status. Sport Sambo is the throw-and-groundwork format (no strikes), structurally similar to judo + freestyle wrestling. See sibling Combat Sambo entry for the strikes-permitted variant.

This edition tracks the International Sambo Rules (Sport Sambo) together with the regulatory amendment round the FIAS Executive Committee approved on March 31, 2026, which updated the FIAS Regulations on SAMBO Referees, the FIAS Disciplinary Code, the procedures for Certification of SAMBO Athletes, Coaches and Accreditation of SAMBO Clubs, and the Classification Rules of SAMBO for the Blind and Visually Impaired. FIAS states the round's purpose as unifying competition practices, enhancing athlete safety, and supporting the continued development of international SAMBO. The core throw, groundwork, and submission scoring rules described in Sections 5 and 6 below are unchanged by this round.

Section 2: Equipment

Sambo jacket (Sambovka): distinctive jacket with belt loops + shoulder cinches — red or blue per competitor
Sambo shorts: matching jacket color
Sambo wrestling shoes (Sambovki): mandatory — soft, ankle-supportive
Mouthguard recommended; protective cup permitted (men)
No jewelry; nails trimmed; hair tied back

A distinct, separately classified division — SAMBO for the Blind and Visually Impaired — carries its own mandatory headgear specification; see Section 4 for the classification and equipment requirements that apply to that division only.

Section 3: Playing Area

FIAS-spec mat: 11m × 11m total, with central 9m circle competition area
Padded outer safety zone
Mat colored to distinguish competition area from safety zone

Section 4: Players & Officials

Two competitors per match (one red, one blue jacket)
Weight classes (Adult Male, kg): -58, -64, -71, -79, -88, -98, +98
Weight classes (Adult Female, kg): -50, -54, -59, -65, -72, -80, +80
Age categories: Cadet, Junior, Senior, Veteran
Officials: 1 mat referee + 2 corner judges + scoring official + timekeeper

Athlete, Coach & Club Certification

Following the FIAS Executive Committee's March 31, 2026 amendments to the procedures for Certification of SAMBO Athletes, Coaches and Accreditation of SAMBO Clubs, athletes and coaches must hold current FIAS certification and the club they represent must hold current FIAS accreditation to be eligible to enter FIAS-sanctioned Sport Sambo competition.

Match Officials

The FIAS Regulations on SAMBO Referees were likewise amended by the Executive Committee on March 31, 2026. FIAS describes the round as intended to unify officiating practices across FIAS-sanctioned events; mat referees, corner judges, and the scoring official listed above are appointed and credentialed under the amended regulation.

SAMBO for the Blind and Visually Impaired

FIAS separately sanctions Sambo for the Blind and Visually Impaired under its own Classification Rules of SAMBO for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which the Executive Committee revised on March 31, 2026 alongside a newly approved FIAS Specification Sheet for the Manufacturing of a Helmet for Blind SAMBO. Classification is based on the athlete's degree of visual impairment and ability to maintain balance, and assigns competitors to one of two classes:

SVI1: includes totally blind athletes; competitors in this class must wear a helmet built to the FIAS specification, protecting the head and eye area and fitted with a black, non-light-transmitting eye patch and a curtain that seats snugly against the nose and cheekbones.
SVI2: athletes with shaped/partial vision who can distinguish objects at a distance.

Section 5: Rules of Play

Match Length

Two 4-minute periods (single 5-minute period for some events)
Active wrestling required; passivity penalized

Throws

1 point: Takedown landing opponent on side (no full back exposure)
2 points: Throw landing opponent partially on back, throw to knees
4 points: Throw landing opponent fully on back from standing

Groundwork (par terre)

1 point: 5-second pin (sufficient to maintain control)
2 points: 10-second pin
Joint locks legal on arms + legs (including kneebar, leg lock, ankle lock)
Submission via tap = total victory

Total Victory

4-point throw + immediate dominant position = total victory (end of match)
Submission = total victory
12-point differential = total victory (technical superiority)

Restrictions

No chokes in Sport Sambo (key difference from BJJ/judo)
No strikes
Joint locks on knees and ankles legal at Senior level only

The Executive Committee's March 31, 2026 amendment round did not change throw, groundwork, submission, or total-victory scoring for Sport Sambo.

Section 6: Scoring

Decision priority: total victory > technical superiority > points > last-scoring competitor
Tournament: single-elimination + repechage for bronze
Gold/Silver/two Bronze per weight + age + gender

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Passivity: verbal warning → caution → opponent awarded points
Fleeing mat: caution
Illegal techniques (chokes, prohibited joint locks, strikes): caution → DQ
Slamming with intent to injure: DQ
Unsportsmanlike conduct: warning → DQ
Anti-doping: WADA Code; FIAS-administered testing

The FIAS Disciplinary Code was amended by the Executive Committee on March 31, 2026 to strengthen ethical standards and accountability. It applies alongside the in-competition penalties above, covering sanctions for anti-doping violations, competition manipulation, and athlete, coach, or official misconduct at FIAS-sanctioned events.

Section 8: Safety Considerations

Sport Sambo injury profile: shoulder/knee/elbow strain from throws + joint-lock applications. No chokes = lower asphyxiation risk vs judo. Mandatory Sambovki footwear reduces ankle/knee twist injuries during throws. On-site team physician + EMT + ambulance at FIAS championship level. AED on-site. Pre-match medical screening + age-appropriate cardiac screening. Concussion protocol: SCAT-5 assessment + multi-stage return-to-competition clearance. Skin-infection screening before mat use. Anti-doping testing in-competition + out-of-competition.

For SAMBO for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the FIAS-specification helmet required of SVI1 competitors (Section 4) is itself a safety measure, designed to protect the head and eye area of an athlete who cannot visually anticipate an incoming throw or strike. FIAS states its March 31, 2026 amendments to the referee regulations and athlete/coach/club certification procedures are likewise intended, in part, to enhance athlete safety across FIAS-sanctioned competition.

How to win

Decision priority — Total victory ranks above technical superiority, points, then the last-scoring competitor.

Tournament format — Single-elimination with repechage for bronze.

Medal allocation — Each weight, age, and gender category awards gold, silver, and two bronze medals.

The game

Separate classification — Blind and visually impaired Sambo follows its own FIAS classification rules.

Referee regulations — Executive Committee amended the referee regulations on March 31, 2026.

Certification requirements — Athletes and coaches must follow amended certification and club accreditation procedures.

Two competitors — Each match has one competitor in a red jacket and one in blue.

Adult male weights — Classes: -58, -64, -71, -79, -88, -98, and +98 kg.

Playing the ball

Total victory — A 4-point throw plus immediate dominant position ends the match. (+ variants)

Scoring unchanged — The March 31, 2026 amendments did not change Sport Sambo scoring.

1 point: 5-second pin (sufficient to maintain control); 2 points: 10-second pin…

Match duration — Wrestle actively for two 4-minute periods; passivity is penalized. (+ variants)

Takedown points — Award 4 points for a standing throw landing the opponent fully on back (+ variants).

Fouls & penalties

Disciplinary code — The amended code strengthens ethical standards and accountability alongside competition penalties.

Passivity penalties — Verbal warning, then caution, then points awarded to the opponent.

Fleeing the mat — Fleeing the mat results in a caution.

Illegal techniques — Chokes, prohibited joint locks, or strikes: caution, then disqualification.

Intentional injurious slam — Slamming with intent to injure results in disqualification.

🚨 Cardinal Rule— Serious violation — may trigger retaliation or social exclusion

Release submissions instantly on tap or verbal concession

— Once an opponent taps the mat, taps the body, or verbally submits, continuing pressure even for a fraction of a second is considered a serious breach of honor. The submission signal is inviolable. Practitioners who ignore the tap are viewed with lasting distrust in the community, regardless of competitive outcome.(Applies equally in competition and training (randori). Referees may stop the contest first, but the competitor is still expected to recognize submission immediately.)[1]

⚠️ Strong Expectation— Most experienced players will take notice and be upset

Greet your opponent and the referee with genuine respect before and after the bout

— A firm, sincere handshake with both the opponent and the referee before and after the match is expected. A perfunctory or dismissive gesture is noticed and remembered. In Soviet-era sambo culture, this ritual was treated as a statement of character, not mere formality.(Some national federations incorporate a brief bow to the mat or referee table as well, though this is not universal across all FIAS member nations.)[1]

📋 General Expectation— Generally expected; soft social enforcement among regulars

Restrained celebration — don't humiliate a defeated opponent⚡ Contested

— Excessive celebration, taunting, or extended displays of dominance over a downed or submitted opponent are strongly frowned upon. Soviet sports culture, which shaped sambo's ethos, valued stoic victory. A clean win speaks for itself; theatrics signal insecurity and disrespect.(This norm is loosening somewhat among younger competitors influenced by MMA culture, but senior coaches and FIAS officials still hold to it.)[1]

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