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At the solemn ceremony, the following officials were in attendance: Minister of Sports A. Ikramov, First Deputy Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan O. Umarov, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee O. Qosimov, Chairman of the Hand-to-Hand Combat Federation – Commander of the National Guard R. Djurayev, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs D. Nazarmukhammadov, Deputy Chairman of the State Security Service D. Anarqulov, First Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Security Service A. Muminov, Deputy Minister of Defense Q. Tursunov, Deputy Chairman of the Customs Committee O. Choriyev, along with other responsible officials from relevant fields.

Minister of Sports A. Ikramov opened the event and, in his opening speech, congratulated everyone on this great victory. He emphasized that these achievements are, first and foremost, the result of the large-scale, wise, and forward-looking policies of our President – Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He noted that the President’s special attention to the development of the sports sector and the conditions created have played a decisive role in these successes. The Minister went on to outline the progress and accomplishments made in the field of sports in recent years.
The Chairman of the Hand-to-Hand Combat Federation of Uzbekistan’s Law Enforcement Agencies – Commander of the National Guard R. Djurayev, supported the views expressed above and emphasized the importance of the historic Presidential Resolution No. 287, adopted on July 20, 2022, titled “On Measures for the Further Development of the Sport of Hand-to-Hand Combat.” He noted that this resolution laid a solid foundation for preparing athletes at the international level and opened the door to the creation of an entirely new system.

In particular, he highlighted that from May 30 to June 1 of this year, the World Hand-to-Hand Combat Championship for men and women was held in Bursa, Turkey, with the participation of over 400 athletes from 32 countries. At this championship, the Uzbekistan national team claimed an impressive 10 gold, 5 silver, and 5 bronze medals, securing 1st place in the overall standings (with Russia and Kazakhstan taking 2nd and 3rd places, respectively), which clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the new system.

As a logical continuation of this success, it was noted that the next major victory was achieved by the Uzbekistan national hand-to-hand combat team at the World Sports Games, held from June 3 to 8 in Loutraki, Greece.

At this competition, athletes from nearly 60 countries competed in 28 different sports disciplines. The Uzbekistan national hand-to-hand combat team won a total of 13 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze medals, once again taking 1st place in the overall team standings (with Ukraine in 2nd place and Germany in 3rd), thereby reaffirming Uzbekistan’s leadership on the global stage. 

First Deputy Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, O. Umarov, also stressed that the hand-to-hand combat athletes, made up of personnel from the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of Uzbekistan, serve as a model of patriotism, discipline, determination, and loyalty for all athletes. He emphasized their role in instilling these values in the younger generation and shared his thoughts on the importance of strengthening cooperation between sports federations in this regard.
Following tradition, the Minister of Sports A. Ikramov, First Deputy Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan O. Umarov, Chairman of the Hand-to-Hand Combat Federation – Commander of the National Guard R. Djurayev, along with senior officials from ministries and agencies within the Armed Forces and law enforcement bodies of Uzbekistan, presented awards to the athletes, coaches, referees, and federation staff members who had won or actively participated in international competitions.

At the conclusion of the event, heartfelt gratitude was once again expressed to the athletes, coaches, referees, and the team of the Hand-to-Hand Combat Federation for their contributions to these historic victories, and firm confidence was voiced that such achievements would continue into the future.