2026-27 GBR SELECTION POLICY APPROVED & PUBLISHED

The BF Board has confirmed the 2026-27 GBR Selection Policy following member consultation.

The 2026-27 GBR Selection Policy sets out the framework for international representation across all age groups – U14, U17, U20, U23, Seniors and Para fencing. This policy ensures clarity and fairness for athletes, coaches and parents preparing for GBR selections.

Consultation summary

View the invitation to participate in the consultation process, including the draft policy updates here: Consultation on 2026-27 Selection Policies.

• The consultation gathered 6 responses from the 11,000+ BF membership.
• There were 0 responses from athletes and the athlete rep panel.
• There were 6 responses from coaches.
• There were a few late responses outside of the process that could not be included.
• The process is not intended to deal with complaints, as these are dealt with via the complaints procedure.
• Each response was considered as described in the selection policy consultation and publication process.

Responses summary:

• Counting results: Views were split on increasing counting results from six to seven. Some believed seven would encourage domestic participation; others thought it would distort rankings, especially near selection boundaries, and should either be rejected or introduced with a one-year transition- BF Response: Agreed with the response view that this will improve and encourage the domestic participation strengthening the domestic events.
• Domestic competitions: Several respondents supported more high-value domestic events with fixed multipliers, spread across England, Scotland and Wales, to strengthen UK competition and reduce reliance on costly international travel. – BF Response: Agreed, as this would allow competing more accessible.
• International performance measures: Concerns were raised that raw percentage finishes do not reflect event size or strength. Suggestions included weighting results by field quality, tightening which senior international events count, and excluding EFC EFL events from senior rankings. BF Response: Considered – but there is no ‘perfect system’ that would allow for the variances across the sport.
• U14 EFC Festival selection and eligibility: Respondents called for reduced financial barriers, including allowing top domestic fencers to qualify without extensive overseas competition and reviewing the British passport requirement for UK-based U14 athletes. BF Response: It would not be fair for fencers with limited or no experience to attend their first Major event at the Festival without some form of international experience. The EFC circuit provides a proving ground for young fencers to gain this experience.
• Pathway involvement: Opinions differ. Some want pathway engagement retained and rewarded; others believe it should be removed from selection criteria and raised concerns about conflicts of interest, coaching boundaries and perceived favouritism. BF Response: Agreed with the view that it should be removed. It is a difficult measure to quantify, so the principle was removed from the selection policy.
• Higher age-group results: Support was expressed for reintroducing trickle-down points so strong Cadets and Juniors can count appropriately weighted results from older age categories, reducing workload and burnout. BF Response: Previous experience demonstrates that this does not reduce the number of competitions that fencers attend, (it could even increase), and that performances were compromised. It also created confusion to which events scored points.

The GBR Pathway Team will be hosting online sessions during Learning Month 2026 to help athletes, parents and coaches understand the policy and prepare for selections. These sessions are designed to provide clarity and confidence for those aiming to represent Great Britain. More information will follow.

Disclaimer: This news post is for information only and does not replace the official Selection Policy document. Athletes, coaches and parents must read the full policy. Appeals cannot be based on this summary.

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