Sambo missed out on the shortlist to feature as an additional sport at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, but the sport's inclusion at the World Martial Arts Games in Riyadh and Asian Martial Arts and Indoor Games in Bangkok were cited by Shestakov in his assertion on its multi-sport events prospects.

The sport is set to celebrate its 85th anniversary in 2023, and the FIAS President vowed that it would mark the occasion with a range of events, competitions, quizzes and performances.

"In the New Year, I want to wish you positivity and optimism, vitality and inspiration, love and creativity, stability and reliability, well-being and comfort," the Russian official said.

"I wish your dreams come true as soon as possible and inspire new goals."

Shestakov reflected on the past year, describing the opening of the International Sambo and Boxing Centre in Russia's capital Moscow as "perhaps the main event".

"We have been waiting for this moment all the last years, and now sambists from all over the world have their own home, which has all the sports and medical and rehabilitation infrastructure for full-fledged training and participation in competitions," he said.

The FIAS President also praised leaders of Continental and National Federations for the staging of a full calendar of events.

These included the World Sambo Championships in Bishkek, World Youth Championships in Yerevan, Beach Sambo World Championships Bat Yam and Continental Championships in Europe, Asia, Africa and Pan America.

Sambo has traditionally been dominated by Russia, although its and Belarus' athletes are competing as neutrals at FIAS events due to the invasion of Ukraine.

The International Olympic Committee has recommended that athletes from both countries to not participate under any banner at international events, and FIAS' ruling led to Ukraine boycotting the World Sambo Championships last month.