Ghana secured the feat at the Friendship Cup 2024 Russia, which was held at the International Sambo Center in Moscow last month.

This certificate of endorsement granted the Ghanaian federation and their partners granted them the authority to enhance the sport through training programmes, referee courses as well as organise both local and international competitions in the country.

In an interview, Founder and CEO of the Ghana Russia Center for Commerce and Relations, John Aggrey expressed optimism about the growing interest in hand-to-hand fighting among young athletes.

 

He emphasized the importance of promoting the sport in Africa to encourage a healthy lifestyle and discipline, as hand-to-hand fighting is rooted in strong moral principles and rules 

“We are looking forward to collaborating with sports authorities and stakeholders in Ghana to promote the game and the international reputation of professional athletes and referees,” he said.

The Friendship Cup Competition was a collaborative effort between the Moscow City Department of Sport and the Hand-to-Hand Fighting Sport International Federation.

The competition brought together professional athletes from Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Germany, Georgia, Egypt, India, Jordan, Iran, Yemen, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Moldova, Mongolia, UAE, the Republic of Belarus, Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. 

A total of 246 athletes showcased their skills in various categories and disciplines such as Self-Defense and Self-Defense 1+1 for both men and women.

The international Federation for Hand-to-Hand-Fighting was founded in 2006 and based in Moscow. 

Its mission is to make the sport of hand-to-hand fighting widely known globally with the goal to have their events recognized and featured as an Olympic sport.

With that in mind, the federation runs championships, tournaments and seminars for referees and training sessions for athletes.