As many members of the fencing community will already be aware, BF will be hosting the 2026 Para Fencing European Championships in Cardiff from 6th–11th October.
As preparations continue for this major international event, our team is now beginning the process of recalling the wheelchair fencing frames currently on loan to clubs through the Wheelchair Fencing Frame Loan Scheme.
The frame loan scheme was created following BF’s hosting of the Wheelchair Fencing World Cup in Cardiff, with frames shared with clubs across the UK to help reduce barriers to participation and support the growth of grassroots wheelchair fencing. Since then, these frames have enabled clubs to introduce more people to the sport, support existing participants, and create more opportunities for disabled people to fence in their local communities.
Now, those same frames are set to return to Cardiff and play a role on the international stage.
The frames need to come back early, so that each piece of equipment can be checked, reviewed for any damage, and repaired where needed. This will ensure that the frames are ready to meet the demands of a major European Championships and support the delivery of a high-quality competition environment for athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers.
This is an exciting full-circle moment for the project. The very equipment that has helped participants train and take part in clubs over the last couple of years will now be used by some of the best para fencers in Europe as they compete at the highest level of European competition.
It also highlights the value of investing in equipment that can support the sport at every level, from a participant’s first experience of wheelchair fencing in a club setting through to major international competition. The frame loan scheme has helped make wheelchair fencing more accessible across the UK, and the return of these frames for Cardiff 2026 shows how grassroots development and major event delivery can work hand in hand.
Clubs that currently have wheelchair fencing frames on loan should look out for direct contact from BF staff over the coming weeks. Members of the Events and Clubs team will be organising the collection of the equipment by courier and will provide clubs with the information needed to support the return process.
Once the European Championships have concluded, we will initiate the Frame Loan Scheme once more. Clubs who have been part of the scheme and have been using the frames in line with our agreement will have priority; however there may be an opportunity for new clubs to join the scheme. More information on that process will be available closer to the competition date.
BF would like to thank all clubs who have been part of the frame loan scheme and who have helped support the development of wheelchair fencing in their communities. Their work has ensured that more people have had the opportunity to experience the sport using competition-standard equipment, and we are delighted that those same frames will now support Europe’s leading athletes at Cardiff 2026.
Further information about the 2026 Para Fencing European Championships can be found here.
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