The German SAMBO Championship took place on January 24 at the historic “Alter Schlachthof” arena in Karlsruhe. The tournament drew over 170 athletes from clubs across the country, competing in both Sport SAMBO and Combat SAMBO across multiple age categories.
According to Fabian Schley, head of the tournament’s organizing committee, this year saw an increase in both the number of participants and the clubs they represent. He also highlighted a growing trend in Combat SAMBO competition. The discipline’s popularity is rising in Germany, he said, among both adult and youth athletes.
“The German Championship was already our second tournament this year. We kicked things off with the Heidenheim Open on January 10,” Schley said. “I’m proud that we’ve managed to significantly increase the number of events. Just 2-3 years ago, we had only 2-3 tournaments per year and maybe one seminar. This year, Germany has at least 10 tournaments scheduled, plus national training seminars.”
One of the year’s biggest tournaments will be the German SAMBO Open, which returns to Karlsruhe in June for its second edition. Notably, last year’s inaugural tournament served as the first test event in preparation for the 2029 World Games — a multi-sport competition where Combat SAMBO was successfully featured in 2025.
“The ongoing work of local clubs and the national federation plays a crucial role not only in domestic development but also in promoting SAMBO to a multi-sport audience. I’m confident that combining high-quality event management with expanded media coverage will help German SAMBO continue on a path of sustainable growth and an increasingly prominent role in the international sambo community,” Schley added.