BF confirms that it did not support the proposal and will work with athletes and stakeholders over the coming months as we navigate the disruption to the international competitive landscape.
BF Board Statement:
“On the 14th March the Board of BF, along with Athlete Representatives discussed the result of the recent FIE congress decision to allow athletes, coaches and officials from Russia and Belarus to return to international fencing competition in time for the beginning of the Olympic qualification period. This was not a proposal that we supported and we want to take this opportunity to reiterate our support to our fencing friends of Ukraine.
We acknowledge that there is much to be confirmed around the detail, with neither the IOC or FIE defining neutrality and the EFC yet to announce any decisions on participation in EFC competitions.
We note that the current participation ban still applies to the Cadet and Junior World Championships and the 2023 European Games.
We acknowledge that some of our athletes/teams may decide they do not wish to fence against an athlete or team from Russia or Belarus. We understand that this will be a difficult decision for any athlete to make especially for those with Olympic qualification at stake. We will work with our athletes, coaches and parents to ensure that they are supported whether they compete or not.
We will continue to seek the input of Athlete representatives and other stakeholders as details become available.”
British Fencing Board, 16th March 2023
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