A scheme has taken sambo into schools ©Getty Images

Sergey Eliseev, the President of the All-Russian and European Sambo Federations, has hailed the success of a project which has brought the martial art into schools.

"Sambo to School" has been rolled out across Russia with hundreds of children gaining a taste of the sport thanks to the initiative.

Eliseev provided an update as part of a press conference held to mark the 80th anniversary of sambo, which is being observed this year.

Hundreds of converts could get into sambo thanks to the school scheme ©Getty Images
Hundreds of converts could get into sambo thanks to the school scheme ©Getty Images

"To date, 43 regions and 800 schools have taken part in this initiative," he said.

"One of the project's working perspectives is the introduction of the third physical training class.

"This is where children are taught to fall and free themselves from various holds."