FIAS held the session in collaboration with the Monaco-based Peace and Sport organisation, including its Champion for Peace activist and French sambo fighter Laure Fournier.

The international governing body has worked with Peace and Sport since 2011, and this 90-minute session was delivered by Fournier to more than 20 children from across Cyprus on Larnaca’s city beach, which included practicing some simple sambo techniques and throws.

She explained the importance of delivering sessions such as this to generate enthusiasm among youth for sambo.

"The children liked the lesson; I saw the enthusiasm in their eyes, high involvement in the process, the desire to learn new techniques, the desire to win," Fournier said.

"During the classes, girls fought with boys, kids with adults, which once again demonstrated the full power of sport, its ability to remove any obstacles that exist between people.

"The idea of holding these events is also attractive because children can not only gain invaluable experience, but also literally touch the world champions.

"This leaves unforgettable impressions for many years, gives additional incentive and motivation to practice sambo; they understand what heights they can reach.

"I really hope that the organisation of these master classes will become a good tradition for all of us.

"We have already discussed this issue at a meeting of the FIAS Athletes Commission, and came to the conclusion that we will strive to hold them at major international tournaments.

"If this succeeds, then this year we will be able to hold SAMBO master classes for children from disadvantaged families in Thessaloniki [in Greece] during the World Youth and Junior Sambo Championships and in Tashkent [in Uzbekistan] during the World Championships."

The President of the Cyprus Sambo Federation Marios Andreou added: "Today, children of various nationalities have gathered here - Cypriots, Greeks, Russians.

"They came to find out what sambo is and to meet the legendary athlete Laure Fournier.

"I see that the children really liked the training; they are overwhelmed with positive emotions.

"I am sure that in the future many of them will make their choice in favour of sambo."

The World Beach Sambo Championships were held for the first time over August 28 and 29, and dominated by the Russian Sambo Federation, which claimed six individual golds as well as the team title.

The World Sambo Championships are set to take place from November 12 to 14 this year in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.