The European Sambo Championships are set to take place in Limassol ©FIAS

The European Sambo Championships are set to return in Limassol in Cyprus, following the cancellation of the 2020 edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Athletes from 28 nations are set to compete, with the competition due to start tomorrow before ending on Saturday (May 29).

The senior European Championships were initially set to take place in Italy, with Cyprus staging youth and junior events a month earlier in April, but the tournaments were merged in a similar fashion to the 2020 World Championships, which were held in Novi Sad in Serbia in November.

The combined European Championships were then set for May 13 to 16 in Limassol, but a decision was made by the European Sambo Federation and the Cyprus Sambo Federation to delay the competition due to COVID-19 concerns.

The dates were changed following an appeal to the Organising Committee from Cyprus' Ministry of Health and Ministry of Sports and Tourism, which expressed concerns over the health situation in the country and across Europe.

Competition is now set to begin tomorrow, with youth bouts.

A referee seminar was held ahead of the European Sambo Championships ©FIAS
A referee seminar was held ahead of the European Sambo Championships ©FIAS

Senior competition begins on Friday (May 29).

The last edition of the European Sambo Championships took place in Spanish city Gijón in 2019.

Due to the persistent threat of coronavirus, guidelines will be in place in Limassol to protect athletes and personnel from the virus.

Ahead of the start of the European Championships, an international referee seminar was held with practical and theoretical exercises being conducted by International Sambo Federation (FIAS) executive director Sergey Tabakov and FIAS sports director Dmitry Maksimov.