Beach Sambo vs Sport Sambo — Same Game, Different Rules

Uniform is fixed by Article 7.

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.

Contest area: 6 × 6 metres, located on the sand (Art. 29); A sound signal (gong) loud enough to be heard; where several contest areas run at once, each must sound different from the others (Art. 30.1); Calibrated weigh-in scales (Art. 30.2)

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

Two contestants per bout. Age group: adults, 18 years and older (Art. 3); Weight categories — four per gender (Art. 4):Women — 50, 59, 72, over 72 kgMen — 58, 71, 88, over 88 kg; An athlete may compete in only one weight category, matching the weight shown at the official weigh-in (Art. 5.1, 5.7)

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 scor...

Beach sambo bouts are held only in the standing position. There is no groundwork phase, no hold-downs, and no points — a single successful throw ends the bout (Art.

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

Article 27 lists the prohibited actions. Each is penalised by immediate disqualification — there is no graduated warning scale: punches and kicks;; locks and strangulations;; throwing an opponent on his head;

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, cove...

The Beach Sambo Competition Rules address athlete safety through the prohibitions and the medical checks rather than a separate safety chapter.

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 th...