EEurope’s best fencers are forced to compete in a short-notice European Championship in two weeks, June 16-18, most likely in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Many of them have to overturn their long-standing training and competition plans with a view to Olympic qualification and are the victims of a power struggle that has been going on for weeks between the International Fencing Federation FIE, which has been supported by the Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov for many years, and the European Fencing Federation EFC.
Larissa Eifler, German Junior European Champion in saber fencing, sums up the situation that is forcing her to cancel a training camp in Italy and to reschedule her competition calendar: “It’s permanent, additional stress and it’s all being organized because of the Russians. To put it bluntly: it’s not at all possible to just reschedule a European Championship, a tournament that is so crucial for qualifying for the Olympics.”
Visa issuance is excluded
In early March, the FIE decided to allow Russian and Belarusian fencers to compete again in international competitions. However, the competition calendar had already been adopted last year. The European Championship, which is held by the EFC but whose status as an Olympic qualifying tournament is under FIE sovereignty, should therefore take place as part of the European Games in Kraków (June 21st to July 2nd).
In response to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommending the re-admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes, the organizers had announced that the event would be given back rather than allowing Russians and Belarusians to compete in the shadow of the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. The Polish government will not issue a visa. Poland is one of 35 countries that have taken a stand against the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Messy and unprofessional
As the FAS reported in mid-May, the FIE nevertheless attempted to get the EFC to grant visas for the games in Kraków. When the attempt failed, the FIE withdrew the status of the individual competitions as Olympic qualifications and made demands on the EFC.
As stated in a letter available to the FAZ from Emmanuel Katsiadakis, acting in Usmanow’s place as interim FIE President, to EFC President Giorgio Scarso dated May 26, “the European Championships (individual competitions) must be held in Milan before the Fencing World Championships”. The world tournament is scheduled for the end of July. Another FIE requirement: The EM must “take place in a country that grants visas to Russians”. The solution: Plovdiv.
Alisher Usmanow (right) has supported the fencing association for many years.
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Bild: picture alliance/dpa
When the FAZ published an article on Usmanov’s work in early April, the Bulgarian Fencing Federation asked for its position on the FIE patron, who was temporarily prevented, to be published: “We are absolutely convinced that Mr. Usmanov is an outstanding sports figure and a historical philanthropist extent.” Any restriction of his work is “unfair and absurd”.
Usmanov’s return has to be postponed in view of the continuing exclusion of Russian officials. But Plovdiv can now step in as the host of the European Championship.
Rescheduling based on hearsay
The ad hoc EM is taking place against the majority will of the EFC leadership, which refused to be appointed on its behalf at a meeting on Monday, saying the FIE is violating its own statutes.
According to EFC boss Giorgio Scarso, the FIE should now at least bear the costs and free the EFC from possible claims for damages from the European Games organizers in Kraków. The fencers have not yet been officially informed of the rescheduling, they are rescheduling on the basis of hearsay.
Nobody has spoken to the athletes yet.
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Bild: Picture Alliance
“We get these changes in the head, we’re the last to know – and it’s still not official,” says Larissa Eifler. “I would call that unprofessional. We had planned the season since August. The chaos started with the recommendation of the IOC. I was hoping it wouldn’t be that bad – I never expected it to be this messy.”
She will be 24 years old on the weekend of the European Championships, and she cannot afford to miss Plovdiv: “The tournament is much more important than a World Cup or a Grand Prix. I’m doing well in the race, last year I was in the top eight at the European Championships, now I have to defend the points. I have to get a good result at the European Championships – the pressure is there.”
Whether Russian competition arrives is open. The list of approved fencers approved by the FIE does not include the Russian fencing stars who are officers and non-commissioned officers in the pay of the murdering army in Ukraine. As long as they are not allowed to compete, their association had announced that international competitions would be boycotted.
