Tyumen, March 28–29, 2026 – At the All-Russian Sambo Tournament "Cup of the Chief of the Engineering Troops of the Russian Armed Forces" in Tyumen, guests and participants were able to get acquainted with an innovative sambo training technology through virtual reality. The setup with VR glasses and controllers aroused great interest among athletes, coaches, and spectators.
The tournament brought together about 200 athletes from 47 teams from various regions of Russia and was dedicated to the memory of TVVIKU graduates who died while performing military duty in the SVO zone. Honorary guests led by Evgeny Khromin, Alexey Biryukov, and Rustam Sayfullin supported the competition participants.
What is "Throw through SVO"?
The "Throw through SVO" project is a sports and health program based on the Russian national wrestling style – sambo. It includes adaptive sambo techniques and uses virtual reality technologies for the rehabilitation of SVO participants and veterans.
"We conduct training sessions in the sambo hall with leading athletes, record them on camera with a 360-degree view, and upload the content to virtual reality helmets. After that, with these helmets, we visit hospitals where warriors recovering from severe injuries are undergoing rehabilitation," said Sergei Buravtsev, director of ANO "Common Cause".
How does it work?
A person who, due to health reasons, cannot yet actively engage in sports puts on a VR helmet and fully immerses themselves in the training atmosphere. They receive instructions from leading coaches, study techniques and tactics even before they can step onto the tatami.
This approach allows:
– To acquire basic sambo skills without the need to immediately visit the gym
– To understand which techniques can be used with physical limitations
– To psychologically prepare for returning to sports
– To study the rules and tactics in comfortable conditions
Project expansion
The methodology is already being used not only in rehabilitation but also in education. At the "Sambo in School" seminar in Tobolsk, participants were able to watch a master class by Alexander and Valeria Lomakin using VR glasses.
The "Common Cause" Foundation is ready to share the developed methodologies free of charge with all regions of Russia. It is planned to expand the practice across the entire country, as well as to adapt the technology for other sports disciplines.