The FIAS said it amended regulations last March, with the aim to introduce greater certification of athletes, coaches and clubs.

The governing body said the certification process was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which largely halted training and competition.

FIAS sports director Dmitry Maksimov confirmed the Gagarin Sambo Federation, located in the Russian city, was the first club to receive an FIAS accreditation certificate.

A ceremony took place during a Sambo Team Championship event, which was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Yevgeny Mikhailovich Chumakov.

Chumakov was considered an outstanding local sambist.

"By no coincidence, the city of Gagarin is the birthplace of the world's first cosmonaut Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin, as well as the outstanding sambist Yevgeny Mikhailovich Chumakov," said Maksimov.

"And now the first FIAS-accredited martial arts club.

"There is a high probability that the first certified coaches and athletes will also appear in this city.

"It remains to express gratitude to our colleagues for the active promotion of the ideas of the International Sambo Federation, and wish them luck in the future."

The FIAS presented the Gagarin Sambo Federation with a certificate with the number 0000001 to the club director Maria Zavirkina.

Gagarin Sambo Federation senior coach Sergei Korolev has now expressed the hope that the club will be among the first to have FIAS-certified coaches and athletes.

"Certification for children is a fundamental moment in the upbringing of culture and introduction to the specialisation of sambo, the formation of concepts, principles and ideology of this sport," Korolev said.

"This is the very beauty of sambo, its aesthetics and philosophy, which are often overlooked in the pursuit of medals.

"And this is what we have to revive.

"It seems to me that the FIAS certification opens up such opportunities.

"In any case, this is how I see it."