The International Association of the public union the “European Sambo Federation” was found in 1991. It was found by the National Federations of: Russia, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania, Sweden, France and San Marino.
Mr. Padre Mario Loy (Italy) was elected the first President of ESF.
Since 1992 under the aegis of the European Sambo Federation, the European Senior and Junior Championships and also international tournaments have been organized annualy. In 1992 only teams from six National Federations: Bulgaria, Spain, Lithuania, Georgia, Russia and France took part in the European Senior Championships.
During the past years the Championships were held in Russia (Moscow, Kaliningrad), Lithuania (Shauliay), Belarus (Minsk), Yugoslavia/Serbia&Montenegro (Belgrade, Arandgelovac), Azerbaijan (Baku), Bulgaria (Sofia, Albena, Pravec), Spain (Madrid), Italy (Kuneo, Milan), Georgia (Tbilisi).
The European Championship held in Tbilisi in 2008 was attended by 515 sportsmen from 23 European countries. A record number of national teams (32) was represented at the European Championship in Moscow in 2012.
The permanent leaders in team ratings have been from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria and Georgia.
Now the European Sambo Federation unites 35 National Sambo Federations: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine. Candidates for entering to ESF are National Sambo federations of Bosnia&Herzegovina, Malta.
In 2004 Mr. Sergey Eliseev, President of the All-Russian Sambo Federation, was elected President of the European Sambo Federation.