Dhe International Fencing Federation FIE has again admitted Russian and Belarusian fencers to international competitions. At an online extraordinary congress of the federation, funded for many years with millions by its president, Russian industrialist and patron Alisher Usmanov, 89 delegates voted for and 46 against the return of athletes to international competitions.
Usmanov had to give up his presidency after the Russian war against Ukraine was unleashed last spring; temporarily, as they say. With the decision, a day after Russia fired 81 rockets at Ukraine, the FIE is following the path the International Olympic Committee (IOC) appears to be aiming for.
Accordingly, Russian and Belarusian athletes are to compete under a neutral flag at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. IOC President Thomas Bach, Olympic fencing champion in 1976, had said that an exclusion “because of a passport or place of birth” violated the ban on discrimination. The fencers are expected back on the planche for the tournament in Seoul in April, which is relevant for the Olympic qualification.
Olympic champion Sofia Pozdnyakova, daughter of Stanislav Pozdnyakov, president of Russia’s National Olympic Committee, is likely to be one of them. He was President of the European Fencing Federation until spring 2023.
The top German fencer Lea Krüger had anticipated the decision of the FIE and told the FAZ in early February: “And if that happens to us, it will happen to everyone.” The Russian regime is shamelessly exploiting the sport, and the exclusion must be maintained as a matter of urgency.
“Russian fencing will surprise many”
“The result that all athletes are allowed to participate again could be a sign of further voting in the sports world in the coming weeks,” said Claudia Bokel, President of the German Fencing Association in a statement. The Fechter-Bund referred to the consequences of this decision for the organization of upcoming international competitions in Germany, which could cause problems.
The United States Fencing Federation said it was “disappointed, frustrated and concerned, if not overly surprised.” Phil Andrews, chief executive of USA Fencing, asked in the statement: “This vote comes just over 100 days after 77 percent of the members of the same body voted to extend the ban. What has changed in these 104 days?”
The Russians, on the other hand, celebrated the result of the vote: “We will show our motivation and strength at the Olympics like never before. Russian fencing will still surprise many,” said the Russian Tokyo Olympic champion Sofja Welikaja after media reports in her home country.