SAMBO in Indonesia: Salatiga Tournament Highlights Regional Growth of the Discipline

SAMBO competitions are being held as part of the 17th Central Java Regional Sports Week (PORPROV XVII). Around 150 athletes are competing in Salatiga from October 22 to 25. The multi-sport event brings together nearly 8,000 athletes across 62 sports.

SAMBO at PORPROV XVII

The athletes taking part qualified through preliminary competitions and represent more than 20 regencies and cities across Central Java. The program features Sport SAMBO and Combat SAMBO events for both men and women.

The competition is organized by the Central Java chapter of the Indonesia SAMBO Federation in cooperation with the national federation. It is supported by referees holding international and continental certifications.

A Stepping Stone in Athletes’ Careers

At the opening ceremony, Dance Ishak Palit, President of the Central Java Chapter of the Indonesia SAMBO Federation, encouraged the athletes to see PORPROV XVII as an important stepping stone in their sporting careers. He stressed that the competition should be not only a chance to win medals but also another step toward higher-level events. The long-term goal is to develop athletes capable of representing Indonesia internationally.

Organizers also view PORPROV XVII as a foundation for the further growth of SAMBO in Central Java. The competition makes it possible to assess athletes’ abilities, identify emerging talent and build a pathway from provincial events to national championships and, ultimately, international tournaments.

“For the Central Java SAMBO community, success will be measured not only by the medals awarded in Salatiga but also by the future achievements of the athletes competing today,” the Central Java chapter of the Indonesia SAMBO Federation said in a statement.

National Federation: Bringing SAMBO to Regional Games

SAMBO’s place on the PORPROV programme is the result of consistent work by the Indonesia SAMBO Federation (PP PERSAMBI). Regional Sports Weeks (Porprov) have become an important platform for the federation’s efforts to develop the discipline across the country.

PP PERSAMBI continues to work closely with provincial and regional administrations to ensure that SAMBO is included in official multi-sport games. The process takes patience, steady advocacy and strong collaboration between the national federation and local associations.

“Our efforts reflect a shared commitment: to make SAMBO more accessible, to nurture new talent, and to establish a stronger and more sustainable SAMBO ecosystem in Indonesia,” the national federation said.

That work is already bearing fruit. Following dialogue and negotiations with local sport authorities, SAMBO has become part of the regional sports agendas in several provinces. The federation describes this as a significant step toward broader development of the discipline at the grassroots level.

The Salatiga tournament is one of a series of regional SAMBO competitions taking place across Indonesia this autumn. According to the federation’s schedule, the series began in October in Padang, West Sumatra. After Central Java, SAMBO will feature at games in Medan (North Sumatra), Bogor (West Java), East Kalimantan and South Tangerang (Banten) in November, while the dates for the event in Malinau, North Kalimantan, are still to be confirmed. The season will culminate in the National SAMBO Championship in Bekasi, West Java, on December 19-20.

PP PERSAMBI President Krisna Bayu says the work will continue.

“We may face many challenges, but we keep moving forward. SAMBO is for Indonesia’s youth, and we will continue to fight for its place in every region,” he said.