Three Bahrainis land senior sambo posts in Manila

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Three Bahrainis have been elected to senior committee posts at the Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania.

Safaa Haji was named head of the Women and Sport Committee, Mahdi Al Mascati head of the Disciplinary Committee, and Fahad Taqi head of the Media and Marketing Committee.

The votes took place during the union's annual meeting in Manila, held alongside the 2026 Asian and Oceania Sambo Championships.

Delegates from member federations also met to discuss the growth of sambo and closer work between national bodies.

Mohammed Ali Janahi, president of the Bahrain Sambo Federation, thanked Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, Chairman of the General Sports Authority and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, for his support for combat sports.

He also thanked Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Deputy Chairman of the General Sports Authority and Chairman of the Bahrain Combat Sports Council, for his work with federations under the council, including the sambo federation.

Mr Janahi said the results showed the trust placed in Bahrainis by members of the Asian and Oceania body.

'This win is an important step and shows the growing standing and trust enjoyed by Bahraini talent at continental level,' he said. 'We are proud of the confidence shown by members of the Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania, and we look forward to turning this achievement into hard work to develop the sport, serve athletes and promote professionalism.'

Mr Taqi, vice-president of the Bahrain Sambo Federation and the newly named head of the Media and Marketing Committee, thanked member federations for their votes.

He said the coming phase would bring new plans to raise media coverage and marketing for sambo, with the aim of widening its base across the region.

The Bahrain Sambo Federation also congratulated the Asian and Oceania union on the annual meeting and praised the Philippine federation for hosting the championship and its linked events.