Lagos Judo boss points route to Sambo’s Dev

Sambo

Lagos State Judo Association (LSJA) Chairman, Sheriff Hammed, believes that Sambo will soon become the fastest growing sport in the country given how dedicated its practitioners are in driving its development.

Although Sambo is a combat sport which is not yet as popular as others in its category, it is a sport which holds great potential for Nigerians of different age groups given the efforts and resources being channelled towards its development.

As LSJA chairman, Hammed has turned judo into the number one martial art sport in the state such that the International Association of Combative Sports (IACS), the only body of combative sports and martial arts education in the world, decided to choose him as its Joint Secretary (Africa).

The Lagos judo boss will lead Nigeria’s team to the 13th African Games in Ghana next month and towards a successful outing, he has chosen to popularise Sambo across the nation.

Speaking on his motivation for choosing to grow Sambo, Hammed said: “Our plan is to provide an experience that offers a plethora of benefits to the sports industry in Nigeria and participants

From creating a case for improved facilities to improving mental and overall wellbeing, to providing opportunities for recreation and youth engagement, enhancing the education experience of students, brand engagement and more.

“We want to influence the whole sports value chain in the country by showcasing Sambo as a platform for sport development.” He acknowledges the challenges that may hamper the attainment of his goals, saying,

“There is often the misconception that sports is mostly about attending competitions, both locally and abroad, but sports goes beyond this. Every step of development – talent engagement, discovery,