Following a successful debut at the World Beach Sambo Championships in Morocco, Nigeria’s reputation in martial arts continues to grow as the country’s contingent is now poised to make its first appearance at the 2024 World Sambo Championships, scheduled to take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, from November 6 to 10.
The tournament will feature a variety of events, including men’s and women’s sport sambo, men’s and women’s combat sambo, and men’s SVI-1 (totally blind athletes) blind sambo.
The competitions will be held at the Wrestling Palace named after Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace in Astana. Athletes from 80 countries will compete for 31 medals.
A significant highlight of the 2024 World Sambo Championships is the inclusion of women in combat sambo for the first time, including the participation of blind athletes. This event will also serves as the final qualifying tournament for the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China.
Sheriff Hammed, Vice President and General Secretary of the Sambo Association of Nigeria, views this as a groundbreaking opportunity. Nigeria will be the only African country presenting a competitor in the blind event, with Samuel Oladele Kekere as the sole representative.
“It’s going to do a lot, and it is like giving them hope. What this means to me is that with their challenge, they’re not deprived of anything. They can make a living, do something for themselves, and make themselves proud. It’s quite amazing,” Hammed said.
Hammed also highlighted the need for funding and sponsorships to support more athletes. The team’s participation is self-sponsored, and they seek collaboration from government and private organizations.
Roman Novikov, Chairman of the FIAS Commission for Athletes with Disabilities, confirmed Kekere’s participation, stating, “Your athlete meets the criteria of the international classification rules for blind sambo in class SVI-1. You can declare your athlete for participation in the World Sambo Championship (blind sambo discipline).”
Including “SAMBO for the Blind” in the World Championships program underscores the growing recognition of blind athletes in combat sports. Vasily Shestakov, President of the International Sambo Federation, remarked, “Sambists with health limitations show a great desire to compete on an equal basis with other athletes, demonstrating their steely will and fortitude.”
In addition to Kekere, African women’s champion Charity Jatau will be joined by James Chegwam and Alani Balogun. The team will be coached by Gbenga Montana of Lagos State while the Lagos State Public Works has also pledged support to the team in their quest to make the country proud at the tournament.