An interview with the President of the Public Organization “All-Ukrainian Association of Martial Arts. Combat Self-Defense ICO”, Honored Coach of Ukraine

— Oleksandr Volodymyrovych, is Combat Self-Defense ICO a sport or a survival system?

— It is both at the same time. We created a system that is not limited to a sports arena. Yes, we have championships, medals, and sports careers. But the main thing is that we prepare a person for the real world, where rules can disappear in a second. Our veterans who return from the front confirm this: when you are under fire or in an extreme situation, simple, well-practiced movements come into play. Not complex combinations from movies, but what is ingrained in muscle memory.

— How did you manage to combine more than 30 martial arts disciplines?

— We didn’t reinvent the wheel. We took the best of what already exists: boxing, Muay Thai, kickboxing, wrestling, MMA. But the key difference is that we are not tied to a single discipline. A boxer strikes well with his hands, a wrestler throws — but what should you do when your life is threatened by armed aggression? Or when you need to detain an offender without causing unnecessary harm? Our system teaches adaptability. It’s like a construction set — you take the elements you need for a specific situation.

— You began developing this field in Ukraine in 2015. Why then?

— After 2014, many things changed in Ukraine. People realized they needed to be able to defend themselves — not theoretically, but practically. At that time, together with Major General Mykola Zentsev, the honorary president of our association, we decided to adapt the ICO system, which had existed in the United Kingdom since 2009, to Ukrainian realities. As a result, in 2017 the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine recognized Combat Self-Defense ICO as a separate sport, and since 2020 we have been granted the status of a national federation. This is a huge responsibility, but also an opportunity to scale our work.

— Your programs are used by law enforcement, the military, and security forces. What does Combat Self-Defense give them?

— Confidence and control. A police officer or soldier must act quickly, but within the law. We teach how to detain a person without excessive violence, how to disarm an attacker, and how to defend oneself against several opponents at the same time. This is not just technique — it is psychological preparation. Stress, adrenaline, fear — all of this must be controlled. Our training is as close to reality as possible.

— You have three competition categories: light, reinforced, and full contact. Why this grading?

— Because people are different, and so are their goals. Some just want to learn self-defense without pain — for them there is light contact, with an emphasis on technique. Some are ready for higher intensity — reinforced contact. And there are those who want to test themselves at the limit of their abilities — full contact, where full-contact actions are allowed. We do not force everyone down the same path. Everyone chooses their own level of challenge.

— The Ukrainian national team regularly wins international tournaments: first place at the 2024 European Championship and second place at the World Championship. How do you achieve this?

— Our boys and girls are fighters in the truest sense of the word. Many of them have gone through war. They know what real combat, real exhaustion, and real pain are. When you step onto the tatami after having seen death with your own eyes, you are no longer afraid of your opponent. In addition, we have a strong coaching school. Serhii Kozenko, the head coach of the national team and an Honored Coach of Ukraine, is a person who lives and breathes sport. We have 24 regional branches of the association across Ukraine. These are not just structures on paper — they are real training sessions, real competitions, and real educational and practical work with young people.

— You have launched adaptive programs for veterans with severe injuries and amputations. Was this your personal initiative?

— It was an initiative of our own athletes who returned from the war. In Uzhhorod, for example, a veteran with an amputation personally conducts free training sessions for his brothers-in-arms. He knows what it means to lose a part of yourself and learn to live again. For them, sport is not about medals. It is about regaining control over their bodies, overcoming depression, and feeling fulfilled again. We see the results — people who could not stand on their feet are stepping onto the tatami a year later. This is the greatest reward for us.

— What is the difference between Combat Self-Defense and other martial arts?

— In different martial arts, according to the rules, there are certain limitations on the use of techniques (striking only with the hands, or with hands and other parts of the body; grappling only without striking; or a mixed fighting style — this is sport, and it is excellent). Combat Self-Defense includes applied sections where there may be several attackers, armed or unarmed, in various combat conditions. We teach not just how to win, but how to act intelligently, taking consequences into account, and above all how to survive in extreme conditions through continuous improvement of self-defense techniques. Belief in one’s rightness, success, and good fortune develops not only physical qualities, but also improves mental abilities, memory, reaction speed, concentration, and creative thinking.

— What would you like to say to people who are considering whether to practice Combat Self-Defense?

— Self-defense is about confidence that you can protect yourself and your loved ones in extreme conditions. It is about health, discipline, and inner calm. People of any age and physical fitness come to us. Our system is adaptive. The main thing is the desire to develop. Our doors are always open.

Oleksandr Volodymyrovych Slipchenko — President of the Public Organization “All-Ukrainian Association of Martial Arts. Combat Self-Defense ICO”, Honored Coach of Ukraine, Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of Ukraine. Since 2015, together with a friendly team of like-minded people, he has been developing the international ICO martial arts system in Ukraine, which combines more than 30 types of martial arts and is oriented both toward sports competitions and applied training for law enforcement agencies. Thanks to this coordinated work, the Ukrainian national team consistently wins medals at European and World Championships.