Insidethegames: Former European Fencing Confederation President Pozdnyakov criticises "political decision" to ban Russia and Belarus

29.6.2023 Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President Stanislav Pozdnyakov has alleged that the European Fencing Confederation's (EFC) decision to ban Russia and Belarus was purely political and nothing to do with sport.

Pozdnyakov, a four-time Olympic fencing champion, was President of the EFC before being replaced by Italian Giorgio Scarso last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"You know, since February last year, the European Fencing Confederation has been trying to be more of a political organisation than professional politicians, so there is not much to discuss here," Pozdnyakov told Russia's official news agency TASS.

"As for jurisdiction, of course, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) is the only legitimate body that makes decisions on the organisation of the international sports calendar.

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