Insidethegames: Nordic nations urge FIE to reverse Olympic qualifying decision for European Games

6.6.2023 The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has been urged to reverse its decision to strip this month's European Games in Kraków-Małopolska of its Olympic qualification status for individual events.

insidethegames has obtained a letter from the Nordic Fencing Union (NFU) calling on the FIE Executive Committee to perform a U-turn due to fears that its decision will be "detrimental to the long-term development" of the sport in Europe.

FIE Acting President Emanuel Katsiadakis informed the European Fencing Confederation (EFC) last week that only the team competition at Kraków-Małopolska 2023 will be valid for Olympic qualification points.

It was determined by the EFC that there was a "clear discrimination of European fencers that would come from not being able to collect points".

The ruling from fencing authorities comes after Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from participating at the European Games in Poland, which neighbours Ukraine.

A decision has now been taken by the EFC and FIE to organise an Individual European Championships which will instead act as a qualifier for next year’s Olympics in Paris.

Plovdiv in Bulgaria has been named as host of the event, scheduled to take place from June 16 to 18 and which is expected to feature fencers from Russia and Belarus.

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