Since 2017 Sambo has been developed in Italy in the structure of the Italian Federation of Kickboxing, Muai Thai, Savate, Shoot Boxe and Sambo (FIKBMS). 

February 14, 2017 Sambo got an official recognition from its National Olympic Committee.

History of sambo in Italy

The "Federazione Italiana Lotta Sambo" was born on 23^rd July, 2002, legally it has the denomination of non profit “Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica”, registered at the Sports Associations of the CONI № 73352 with annual membership in Sports Promotion ASI (Alleanza Sportiva Nazionale). Currently the Italian National Olympic Committee does not recognize the “Federazione Italiana Lotta Sambo” as independent sport federation. In March 14, 2014 the denomination “Federazione Italiana Lotta Sambo” was changed and became “ASSOCIAZIONE ITALIANA SAMBO”. Later in 2014 this new sambo association was registered in the National Olympic Committee.

The Italian Sambo federation acts with the respect to the sport rules of CONI, but it is necessary to have at least 2500 participants with distribution throughout Italy in 20 regions in order to get the recognition of the National Olympic Committee.Today there are about 600 athletes adhered to the association in 10 Italian regions: 1) Piemonte, 2) Friuli Venezia Giulia, 3) Veneto, 4) Lombardia, 5) Liguria, 6) Toscania, 7) Emilia Romagna 8) Lazio 9) Sardegna, 10) Sicilia. 

The Italian sambo association is the only organisation in Italy that is recognised by FIAS, and it possesses the full rights to organise the activities and sambo promotion in accordance with the international SAMBO rules and also to participate in the official international events.

There are many sambo sports events which are annually organised in Italy such as: seminars and stages, several trainings in different cities, the individual national championship, the Italian cup for teams and one tournament. Every year the Italian national sambo team takes part in the continental championships, the world championships and the International tournaments category “A” and category “B”. 

The Italian Sambo Federation has attended numerous events in various cities of Italy, promoted sambo with many articles in the newspapers and participated in the television programmes on television.

The association twice organised the International tournament "Italian Open", which was attended by more than 100 athletes from three continents. In 2009 the association held hosted the European championships in Milan with 500 athletes from 24 countries. Four years later, in 2013 the European championship was held in Crema (Italy) for the second time.

In the last 12 years of activity the Italian sambo federation has won several medals in the international competitions: 2 gold medals in the world championship among youth and juniors, 1 silver medal and 1 gold medal in the European championship among youth and juniors. There are also several winners and prize-winners in the world championships and continental championships. 

Champions and prize winners of Italy 2017

European Championship among Youth and Juniors 2017 in the Czech Republic

Bronze Medal:

Strina Simone (48 kg)