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.