Beach Sambo vs Combat Sambo — Same Game, Different Rules

Sambo jacket + shorts (red/blue per competitor) — same as Sport Sambo; Barefoot (no Sambovki required on sand); Mouthguard recommended; protective cup permitted (men)

Sambo jacket + shorts (red or blue per competitor) — same as Sport Sambo; Sambovki (sambo wrestling shoes) — mandatory; Open-face protective helmet — mandatory in Combat Sambo (chin guard, padded crown, open visor)

Sand court: 10m × 10m FIAS-spec compacted-but-soft sand area; Minimum sand depth: ~30 cm; Marked boundary tape or cord

FIAS-spec mat: 11m × 11m total, 9m central circle (same as Sport Sambo); Padded safety zone; Multiple parallel mats at major championships

Two competitors per match; Beach Sambo weight classes typically consolidated to 3-4 categories per gender (vs. 7 indoor); Officials: 1 mat referee + 1 corner judge + scoring official + timekeeper

Two competitors per match; Weight classes (Adult Male, kg): -58, -64, -71, -79, -88, -98, +98; Combat Sambo introduced women's divisions in 2017

Match length: 3 minutes (single period; vs 4-min indoor Sport Sambo); Throws scored as in Sport Sambo (1, 2, or 4 points based on landing position); Groundwork: pin-time reduced to account for sand difficulty (3-second pin = 1 pt; 6-second = 2 pts)

5 minutes (single period); OT period: 2 minutes if score tied; Closed-fist punches (to head + body)

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

Decision priority: KO/TKO/submission > technical superiority > points > last-scoring competitor; Tournament: single-elimination + repechage; Gold/Silver/two Bronze per weight + gender

Standard Sport Sambo foul taxonomy (passivity, illegal techniques, fleeing, etc.); Sand-specific: eye-poke with sand → DQ if intentional; Equipment violation: warning + correction

Illegal strikes: head-stomps, back-of-head, spine, eye-poke, throat — caution → DQ; Strikes to grounded opponent's head: generally restricted (specific rule varies by edition); Passivity: warning → caution → opponent advantage

Sand surface reduces blunt-impact injury risk vs indoor mat (softer landing), but increases ankle/knee instability injuries from uneven footing during throws. Mandatory pre-event medical screening.

Combat Sambo has substantially higher injury risk than Sport Sambo due to permitted strikes. Mandatory equipment (helmet, gloves, mouthguard, shin guards, groin protector) is non-negotiable.