The FIAS is currently applying to be recognised by the IOC and they are due to be told if they have been successful next month.

If the sport is approved the Russian martial art could one day be accepted as an Olympic sport.

Speaking at the 2016 World Sambo Championships here in the Bulgarian capital, Shestakov remains upbeat about the situation and says it would be a monumental moment for the sport if it is granted membership.

"I would be very happy if it does happen but we understand that everything is in the hands of the IOC," the Russian told insidethegames today.

"We await their decision and will accept it whatever it may be.

"If it is positive then it will be a huge success for us but if not we will continue to work."

The FIAS had been hopeful of being put forward for full recognition at the IOC Session in Rio de Janeiro in August, only to be overlooked along with several other Federations.

"We are still developing sambo on five continents to increase the amount of countries and athletes that take part in the sport," Shestakov said.

"We are also developing beach sambo which is proving to be very, very popular and has recently featured in the 2016 Asian Beach Games in Danang."

So far at the World Championships, the competition has been largely dominated by Russian athletes.

Shestakov believes, though, competition will continue to improve as time goes on.

"The competition is getting more intense every year," he said.

"In the past it used to be very easy for Russian athletes but these days we can see that every point and medal won takes much more effort and commitment because the global standard of the sport is always improving.

"We are also confident that the increase in quantity of countries participating will also lead to an increase in quality across the competitions and they are now showing better results including a Cameroon athlete winning a bronze today.

"We saw last year at the World Championships in Casablanca that 21 different countries won medals."

A host of statutory changes were revealed by Suresh Gopi, the director of the Asian Sambo Union and chairman of the governing body's Legal Commission, at the FIAS Annual Congress on Thursday (November 10). 

It is hoped the minor changes to some of the sport's laws will bring them in-line with those of the IOC, in a bid to further boost sambo's chances of gaining recognition.

One of the changes to be revealed was to encourage the women's side of the sport, while the second surrounded the promotion of the sport's ethical and moral standing.

"We have clearly stated that our objective is to promote integrity and fair play in our sport," Gopi said.

"We must prevent things such as corruption, doping and match manipulation and anything else that will jeopardise the integrity of our sport.

"FIAS is also committed to respecting all internationally recognised human rights and will strive to promote these."

The FIAS Executive Committee must also now have at least a 25 per cent women's representation to conform to IOC standards, while a President can no longer serve more than three consecutive terms of four-years in office.

An official date has yet to be confirmed for when FIAS will learn its IOC fate, but the decision is expected at its Executive Board meeting between December 6 and 8. 

After two busy days of competition, the World Sambo Championships are due to draw to a close tomorrow with the final nine sets of medals due to be handed out.