Hundreds of fencers oppose Russian participation

(Berlin) More than 300 fencers, including nine Tokyo Olympics medalists, have signed an open letter published on Tuesday urging the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban competition Russian fencers while the war in Ukraine still rages.

The FIE voted earlier in March to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to return to international competition in order to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

According to these signatories, “the FIE is not fulfilling its mandate to protect athletes, particularly those from Ukraine”. They add that the leaders “lack leadership” by not banishing Russians and Belarusians, a “situation decried all over the planet” and even accuse them of “choosing sides”.

The letter was published on the same day as the meeting of the IOC Executive Board begins, during which new recommendations to international federations on this thorny issue will be tabled, 16 months from the Paris Olympics.

The IOC had recommended last year to exclude athletes from these two countries for security reasons. He has changed his tone in recent months, trying instead to find a way to allow them to resume competitions.

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has been the president of the FIE since 2008. However, he suspended himself from his duties on March 1, 2022, a few days after Russia invaded Ukraine. He was then the target of sanctions from the European Union.