Ukrainian Fencer Deserts Platform in Protest at World Cup in Milan

Since yesterday the winds of war have also officially blown in the world of fencing. In fact, at the World Cup in Milan, the Ukrainian Igor Reizlin accepted the indications of his federation and deserted the platform where the Russian Vadim Anokhin was waiting for him. The epee tournament, therefore, recorded a sensational gesture of protest which inevitably caused discussion. However, it was not an absolute novelty: at the judo world championship hosted in Doha last May, the Ukrainian national team decided not to participate after the go-ahead from the International Judo Federation for Russian and Belarusian athletes. The statement by the president of Coni, Giovanni Malagò, was not long in coming: “We are saddened because it is clear that these athletes follow or are subjected to the indications of their governments on which I do not speak. I won’t put my mouth on this provision, but I would like to ask the Government itself why systematically in other sports, even in distant times, this type of indication, not to say diktat, has not been done”.

And so the sensational gesture of the athlete from Kiev partially overshadowed what happened in the race, with the Italians once again protagonists. On the shields the foil girls who would have occupied all three steps of the podium. But let’s go in order: our girls immediately went very fast and in the mid-afternoon of the eight foil players remaining in competition four wore our colors, with Alice Volpi and Martina Batini forced into a ruthless derby. To complete the poker, Martina Favaretto and Arianna Errigo. The latter represented one of the happiest notes of the world championship: silver and gold in Cairo a year ago, the champion had taken a break to become mother, in March, of the twins Stefano and Mirea. The stop had pushed our champion out of the top positions and so in Milan, a few kilometers from her native Monza, she rolled up her sleeves and began her comeback starting from the qualifying table. Six meetings, six victories, one every ten minutes. An hour to complete the practice and get back to competing with fencers in her category, including the other three Italians. And Errigo was always the first to conquer the semifinal, followed by Volpi and Favaretto.

At 17.30 Italy already mathematically had two medals in its pocket and the concrete hope of conquering the first gold of the event. And it was like this: the final Volpi (gold) against Errigo (silver) guaranteed a resounding success, completed by the bronze of Favaretto. The rival nations have changed over the years, but the foil girls have always remained at the top.
In the male sword Davide Di Veroli and Valerio Cuomo, fueled our hopes, both in the quarterfinals and determined not to give up. Both protagonists of vigorous competitions with opposite results: Cuomo out with many regrets, Di Veroli ahead until the final where he surrendered to the Hungarian Koch.

The march already undertaken at the debut therefore continues when, on Tuesday in front of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, the female sword gave us the first medals with the silver of Alberta Santuccio and the bronze of Mara Navarria.
The second day of competition represented a pleasant confirmation of what we saw at the debut: Italy still has what it takes to confirm itself as a powerhouse in world fencing.

A year ago these days Italy finished third at the World Cup in Cairo. The medals were the same from France, eight, the difference was made by the metal: two golds against the four of the rivals of all time. The revenge is underway in Milan. Until Sunday, the final day of these world championships, there will be time for new exploits. No one doubts that we will record several more.

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James Guerrini
2023-07-27 14:10:23
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