SENIOR TEAM ENTRY FEES COVERED FOR PARIS OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION

Following donations from the BF Charity and the Epee Club Charity, Senior Teams competing in Team events which contribute to FIE Senior Team World Rankings will have their entry fees reimbursed by British Fencing until the end of the Paris qualification cycle.

Updated with quote, January 16th, 2023

Currently teams representing Great Britain at Senior World Cup Team events pay an entry fee of 400 euros. Between now and the end of Paris qualification period the cost of the team fees for Great Britain to participate in these events across all 6 weapons is expected to be over £20k.

As part of BF’s ongoing relationships with the BF Charity and the Epee Club Charity, opportunities to provide additional support to athletes representing GBR are regularly discussed, informed by the latest Athlete Development Programme plans. This was one area identified where the Charities can make a meaningful contribution in the run up to Paris 2024.

BF would like to take this opportunity to thank the Epee Club Charity, the BF Charity and all those individual private donors who have made this possible. In particular our thanks go to BF member Julian Ghosh, whose donation covers all the sabre team entry fees for this period (Men’s and Women’s Sabre).

David Partridge, President of The Epée Club, said, “The Epée Club is delighted to be a part of British Fencing’s bid to ensure that our athletes are given every opportunity to compete at the Senior World Cups during the Paris Qualification period. Our épéeists deserve the best support that we can give them and we thank all the donors to the Epée Club Charitable Fund who are making this possible.”

Georgina Usher, CEO, said, “As the Olympics and Paralympics approaches the costs for all our athletes rises. Without world class programme funding for the Olympic fencing discipline, the cost burden of teams participating in Senior World Cups almost entirely falls on the individual athletes and their families, as a result we are exceedingly grateful to everyone that donated to the supporting charities.”

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