Russian martial art Sambo is now part of Asian Games

Mumbai: The Russian martial art of sambo has earned recognition of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and has become part of the Asian Games.

According to the world body for sambo, a self-defence technique without weapons which is a loose combination of wrestling and judo developed by the Russian Army in the early 20th Century, the decision to recognise Sambo Union of Asia was taken by the OCA's Executive Board on January 17 at Manila, Philippines.

The board met during the ongoing 32nd General Assembly of the pan-Asian continental body, according to the International Sambo Federation.

Sambo thus joined the combat sports existing on the list of OCA such as wushu, wrestling, judo and taekwondo.

The decision of the board to include sambo in the Asian Games was later ratified by the OCA General Assembly.

This year's 17th Asian Games, scheduled at Incheon, South Korea from September 19 to October 4, does not have sambo in its programme consisting of 36 disciplines, eight of those non-Olympic ones, including cricket and kabaddi.

The earliest sambo can see itself in the Asian Games is in the 18th edition, scheduled at Hanoi, Vietnam in 2019.