The family of a student killed by a single punch from a martial arts champion is seeking 1 million euros in compensation.
They are appealing to the Russian Sambo Federation, claiming the organisation is responsible for the actions of champion Rasul Mirzaev.
The incident happened last week outside a popular night club when Mirzaev allegedly felled the victim with one punch.
He was arrested and released on bail but as controversy grew, he was taken into custody. This was prompted by fears for his safety as well as possible Manezh-style ethnic riots after a warning from the police.
The Sambo Federation said that although they are sorry about the terrible incident, they are not going to pay anything for their member’s wrongdoing.
The dead student’s family lawyer, however, believes he will be able to force the organization to take responsibility for the action.
“The issue is not properly regulated by law, so this case could set a good precedent,” the lawyer said. “Responsibly for students’ behavior is a good way to control such fight organizations, which draw huge profits from their fighters.”
He also commented that Russia’s martial arts schools, unlike oriental ones, lack professional ethics. In the East, any fighting lessons are first and foremost ethics lessons.
Sambo is a Russian martial art and combat sport. The word “Sambo” is an acronym for “self-defense without weapons”. Sambo’s development was begun in the early 1920s by the members of the Soviet Army. Intended to be a merger of the most effective techniques of other martial arts, Sambo has roots in Japanese judo and traditional folk styles of wrestling.