A history of Sombo in a timeline format - Learn about an international wrestling style
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by Josh Henson
1920's
Anatoly Kharlampief, Vasily Oschchepkov and Victor Spiridonov develop the framework for sombo.
1938
Sombo is recognized as an official sport by the National Committee of Physical Culture of the USSR on 16 November, 1938, the date considered to be the birth date of sombo.
1939
First National Sombo Championships held in the USSR in Moscow for individuals and teams, with participants from 8 soviet republics, plus Moscow and Leningrad.
1966
Sombo accepted as an international sport and officially recognized as the third style of international wrestling by FILA, the International Amateur Wrestling Federation at the FILA Congress held during the 1996 FILA World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Toledo, Ohio, USA.
1967
First international sombo tournament held in Riga (USSR) with athletes from Bulgaria, Mongolia, Yugoslavia and the USSR.
1969
Second international sombo tournament held in Moscow, with participants from Bulgaria, Great Britain, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia and the USSR.
1970
Third International sombo tournament held in Sochi (USSR).
1971
Fourth international sombo tournament held in Tashkent (USSR), with participants from Bulgaria, Mongolia, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Japan and the USSR.
1971
Sombo included in the national Spartakiade multisport games of the Soviet Union for the first time.
1972
First European Championships and first continental Championships held in Riga (USSR) on 20-27 November 1972.
1973
First FILA World Championships (for Senior Men) held in Tehran, Iran.
1974
Second FILA World Championships (for Senior Men) held in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
1975
First National Sombo Championships held outside Soviet Union (USA).
1975
Third FILA World Championships (for Senior Men) held in Minsk, Russia (USSR).
1977
First Continental Championships outside Europe and first Pan American Championships.
1977
First World Cup of Sombo (team championships) held in Oviedo, Spain.
1979
FILA creates the World Committee for Sombo Wrestling, a semi-autonomous committee of FILA to develop the sport of sombo internationally under the Auspices of FILA.
1979
Fourth FILA World Championships held in Madrid, Spain.
1979
First FILA World Championship for Espoir Men held in Madrid, Spain, in conjunction with the IV Senior Men's World Championships.
1980
Second FILA World Cup of Sombo held in Oviedo with teams from Japan, Spain, USA and USSR.
1981
Third FILA World Cup of Sombo held in Vigo, Spain with teams from Galicia, Spain, USA and USSR.
1981
Sombo included in the Bolivarian Games of South America in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.
1982
Sombo included in the Cross of the South Games of South America in Rosario, Argentina.
1982
Fourth FILA World Cup of Sombo held in Bilbo, Spain.
1983
First appearance of Sombo in an international Multipart event and first appearance in the IX Pan American Games (Caracas, Venezuela).
1983
First appearance of Sombo in the XII Hapeol Games in Tel Aviv, Israel.
1983
Fifth FILA World Cup of Sombo held in Lyon, France.
1983
First FILA Women's World Sombo Championships in Madrid Spain 27-30 October 1983.
1984
FILA votes to allow sombo to become a separate international sport at the Olympic congress of FILA in Jonkoping, Sweden, held on 25 May 1984 during the 1984 FILA European Wrestling Championships.).
1984
FIAS Constitutive Assembly held in Madrid, Spain on 13 June 1984 to create FIAS as an independent international Sport Federation for Sombo. Preliminary charter signed by 68 nations.
1984
Sombo included in the International Happoel Games of Israel.
1985
FIAS Constitutional Congress held on 16 May 1985 in Bilbao, Spain, attended by representatives of 25 charter nations). Constitution adopted and First officers elected.
1985
FIAS recognized by General Assembly of International Sports Federations (GAISF), also know as the Association International des Federations Internationales de Sport (AGFIS), on 21 October 1985. FIAS accepted unanimously the first year it applies.
1985
FIAS Accepted into International World Games Association (IWGA).
1985
First appearance of Sombo as a sport in the World Games (London, England).
1986
First World Cup outside Europe and first World Cup in Asia (Japan).
1986
First World Cup in Africa (Casablanca, Morocco).
1989
First World Cadet (15-16) Championships (West Orange, New Jersey, USA).
1990
First World Junior (17-18) Championships.
1991
Last Soviet Team Participates in World Championships in Montreal, Quebec (Canada).
1991
Lithuania Accepted into FIAS (first former Soviet Republic independently recognized).
1992
First Asian Championships.
1992
First World Schoolboy (13-14) Championships (Herne Bay, England).
2005
FILA Bureau votes to once again organize competition in Sombo at FILA Bureau meeting during 2005 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
2006
FILA organizes first Continental Championships since the return of Sombo with Pan American Championships in Palm Beach Florida, USA. 30th Pan American Championships.
2006
FILA organizes World Sombo Championships in Antalya, Turkey, in conjunction with World Beach Wrestling Championships and Turkish Folkstyle wrestling festival.
Anatoly Kharlampief, Vasily Oschchepkov and Victor Spiridonov develop the framework for sombo.
1938
Sombo is recognized as an official sport by the National Committee of Physical Culture of the USSR on 16 November, 1938, the date considered to be the birth date of sombo.
1939
First National Sombo Championships held in the USSR in Moscow for individuals and teams, with participants from 8 soviet republics, plus Moscow and Leningrad.
1966
Sombo accepted as an international sport and officially recognized as the third style of international wrestling by FILA, the International Amateur Wrestling Federation at the FILA Congress held during the 1996 FILA World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Toledo, Ohio, USA.
1967
First international sombo tournament held in Riga (USSR) with athletes from Bulgaria, Mongolia, Yugoslavia and the USSR.
1969
Second international sombo tournament held in Moscow, with participants from Bulgaria, Great Britain, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia and the USSR.
1970
Third International sombo tournament held in Sochi (USSR).
1971
Fourth international sombo tournament held in Tashkent (USSR), with participants from Bulgaria, Mongolia, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Japan and the USSR.
1971
Sombo included in the national Spartakiade multisport games of the Soviet Union for the first time.
1972
First European Championships and first continental Championships held in Riga (USSR) on 20-27 November 1972.
1973
First FILA World Championships (for Senior Men) held in Tehran, Iran.
1974
Second FILA World Championships (for Senior Men) held in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
1975
First National Sombo Championships held outside Soviet Union (USA).
1975
Third FILA World Championships (for Senior Men) held in Minsk, Russia (USSR).
1977
First Continental Championships outside Europe and first Pan American Championships.
1977
First World Cup of Sombo (team championships) held in Oviedo, Spain.
1979
FILA creates the World Committee for Sombo Wrestling, a semi-autonomous committee of FILA to develop the sport of sombo internationally under the Auspices of FILA.
1979
Fourth FILA World Championships held in Madrid, Spain.
1979
First FILA World Championship for Espoir Men held in Madrid, Spain, in conjunction with the IV Senior Men's World Championships.
1980
Second FILA World Cup of Sombo held in Oviedo with teams from Japan, Spain, USA and USSR.
1981
Third FILA World Cup of Sombo held in Vigo, Spain with teams from Galicia, Spain, USA and USSR.
1981
Sombo included in the Bolivarian Games of South America in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.
1982
Sombo included in the Cross of the South Games of South America in Rosario, Argentina.
1982
Fourth FILA World Cup of Sombo held in Bilbo, Spain.
1983
First appearance of Sombo in an international Multipart event and first appearance in the IX Pan American Games (Caracas, Venezuela).
1983
First appearance of Sombo in the XII Hapeol Games in Tel Aviv, Israel.
1983
Fifth FILA World Cup of Sombo held in Lyon, France.
1983
First FILA Women's World Sombo Championships in Madrid Spain 27-30 October 1983.
1984
FILA votes to allow sombo to become a separate international sport at the Olympic congress of FILA in Jonkoping, Sweden, held on 25 May 1984 during the 1984 FILA European Wrestling Championships.).
1984
FIAS Constitutive Assembly held in Madrid, Spain on 13 June 1984 to create FIAS as an independent international Sport Federation for Sombo. Preliminary charter signed by 68 nations.
1984
Sombo included in the International Happoel Games of Israel.
1985
FIAS Constitutional Congress held on 16 May 1985 in Bilbao, Spain, attended by representatives of 25 charter nations). Constitution adopted and First officers elected.
1985
FIAS recognized by General Assembly of International Sports Federations (GAISF), also know as the Association International des Federations Internationales de Sport (AGFIS), on 21 October 1985. FIAS accepted unanimously the first year it applies.
1985
FIAS Accepted into International World Games Association (IWGA).
1985
First appearance of Sombo as a sport in the World Games (London, England).
1986
First World Cup outside Europe and first World Cup in Asia (Japan).
1986
First World Cup in Africa (Casablanca, Morocco).
1989
First World Cadet (15-16) Championships (West Orange, New Jersey, USA).
1990
First World Junior (17-18) Championships.
1991
Last Soviet Team Participates in World Championships in Montreal, Quebec (Canada).
1991
Lithuania Accepted into FIAS (first former Soviet Republic independently recognized).
1992
First Asian Championships.
1992
First World Schoolboy (13-14) Championships (Herne Bay, England).
2005
FILA Bureau votes to once again organize competition in Sombo at FILA Bureau meeting during 2005 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
2006
FILA organizes first Continental Championships since the return of Sombo with Pan American Championships in Palm Beach Florida, USA. 30th Pan American Championships.
2006
FILA organizes World Sombo Championships in Antalya, Turkey, in conjunction with World Beach Wrestling Championships and Turkish Folkstyle wrestling festival.
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